


I'll Be Your Savior, You'll Be Mine

by Skylily2000



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, De-Aged Characters, F/F, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Homophobic John Winchester, Lots of Other Characters - Freeform, M/M, Smut, Violence and Language, Warnings May Change
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-01-10
Updated: 2015-06-10
Packaged: 2018-03-06 22:28:07
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 18
Words: 67,137
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3150605
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Skylily2000/pseuds/Skylily2000
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Dean and Sam Winchester never wanted to return to school in Lawrence, Kansas. Things have changed a lot, and school is torture. Everyone knows that. But as the two brothers roll up to Lawrence Day Senior High in Dean's 1967 Chevy Impala, they never expected to face the battles or live the dreams ahead of them.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Blue Ties

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Castiel_The_Fallen_Angel](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Castiel_The_Fallen_Angel/gifts).



Silence. There was complete silence all around Dean. His breath was quick and soft, as he gazed up at the barely distinguishable pattern on the ceiling. He could faintly hear his little brother's breathing from the other room. He blinked, wondering when he woke. He couldn't remember. He could only remember that he was just laying there, wrapped in the darkness.

Before he could even sit up, the room was lit. Lit in a screaming, harsh orange fire. Dean shrieked, scrambling up against the chilled wooden headboard of his bed. He stared at it, unresponsive, orange light and fear flickering in his green eyes. For a moment he froze, not knowing what to do.

 _Move_ , Dean, he told himself. _Get up._ He panicked, and his feet weren't functioning correctly. He used them to shove his thick black covers to end of the bed, and he tore out of his room. He gasped, choking on the thick black smoke clouding around his head.

His first thought was Sammy. Not his dad. Sammy. He was gagging. His lungs were aflame, his heart burned. His leathery hands gripped the old white banister, and he staggered down the hall, and touched Sammy's brass doorknob. He screamed in pain, jerking his burning hand away. The skin was red and instantly began to blister. He reared back, and planted his foot firmly on the door next to the doorknob. The door swung open, screeching. He ran in, ignoring the fire. He dashed to the teen's bed, only to find it empty. His hands grasped the soft sheets, his eyes flicking around the burning room.

 _Sammy must've already gotten out,_ he told himself. He licked his chapped lips, and ran out of Sammy's room. He decided he had to get out of the old house immediately, before it fell apart in flames. His foot rested on the first step, and he started down the stairs. Above his head, there was a creak and a hiss. He didn't have any time to look up when the burning rafter from the roof cascaded down on him. It slammed into the back of his head. Dean cried out, and his head connected with the banister. Everything went black.

**Beep! Beep! Beep!**

_"...Seven days of Saturday is all that I need..."_

Dean sat up, gasping and coughing. The bright room around him wasn't on fire. It was a dream. Only a dream. He sat back on one hand, running the other through his dirty-blond spiked hair. He could taste the thick ashy smoke still in his mouth, and the faint sting of the burn still pulsed in his hand. He took a deep shaky breath.

His door was wide open, and a note taped to it was swaying in the breeze emanating from his open window. He tossed his covers aside, and lazily hit the button on his alarm clock. _"I'll Sleep When I'm Dead"_ by Bon Jovi came to a halt. He swung his muscular legs out of the bed, and stood. His legs were numb, and he grunted. He staggered to the door, and in a smooth motion, ripped off the note. Dean squinted at the barely legible handwriting.

_Dean-_

_I'll be gone until around eleven tonight. Take care of Sammy, and get to school. There's breakfast prepared in the kitchen. Sorry I can't make it to see your first day. I have the usual business to take care of._

_Dad_

Dean sighed. His father, John Winchester, was always away on some business. He was a hunter, and a very good one at that. He captured and killed all sorts of mysterious things. Dean couldn't even remember how many monsters his father had killed up. It was too many. The only bad thing was that his father was a drunk. He always came home late from a job and then he would always pass out on the couch, with a couple of empty beer bottles sitting on the coffee table.

It also really wasn't the first day of school. Other kids had been going to school for two months or so. Sam and Dean were joining a little late in the school year.

Dean wiped his mouth, strolled to the window, and shivered. The cool air blowing in wasn't a lovely feeling on his previously warmed skin. He shut it firmly, and went into his bathroom. He rid himself of his grubby black Chevy t-shirt and his red boxers, and showered hurriedly, scrubbing until the strange, dirty, ashy feeling was gone from his skin. He stepped out, clad in a old white towel. Droplets of water still patterned his neck and his wide shoulders. Little rivulets of water made their way down his abs, and disappearing into the crack between the towel and his waist. The golden colored amulet Sam had given him rested again his upper chest.

He headed to his closet, and picked out his usual- a soft red and white flannel shirt with faded jeans. He put on a pair of boxers hastily- he probably should've closed the door. He hurriedly scrambled over and shut it with a creak. He tugged on his jeans, yawning. While he dressed, he wondered to himself.

 _I am just going to ignore that fact that I had a nightmare about a fire?_ Dean thought. _I mean, that was the first time in a while that I've had a dream like that.... I'm not going to let it bother me, of course._

He forced those thoughts out of his head, and continued dressing. He pulled on the flannel shirt, and buttoned it over his muscular, toned chest. He slipped his arms through his worn leather jacket sleeves, and sighed contentedly. It was October, after all. The middle of fall. It was obviously going to be cold outside.

He went to his antique wooden dresser, and pulled the top drawer open. A sharp pain went through his finger. He jerked his hand away, and gazed at his finger, cursing under his breath. A splinter was nestled in his skin. He simply pulled it out with his teeth, and tossed the splinter in the trash.

 _Why is everything that we own crap?!_  His mind screamed. He grabbed a pair of socks, and shoved the drawer back in, feeling a little grumpy.

Taking his work boots downstairs, he found Sam, his tall, slightly bulky and awkward brother, sitting at the round dining table, shoving a spoonful of cereal into his mouth. _Cheerios_ , to be exact. Sam liked the "heart healthy, nutritious" crap. Dean was just as good with a bowl of the most sugary cereal imaginable. Sam glanced up from the book he was holding in his huge hands, munching on cereal loudly. He swallowed, and used his finger to wipe a spare drop of milk from his narrow chin.

"Hey," Sam offered. Dean just grunted, and sat in the living room. He tugged on his socks and scuffed up black work boots. He stood, glancing casually around the house. It seemed too sparkly clean. Sam had insisted on keeping it tidy; for guests. What guests? Dean didn't always feel like it was home to him. It was missing the empty beer cans and newspapers strewn everywhere. Now it was just a pile of fake looking white furniture and wooden coffee tables.He walked swiftly into the kitchen.

 _Ah, now this is more like it,_ he thought. Breakfast choices were set out on the scratched granite counter tops. Cereals, shiny fresh fruits, and tons of other stuff. Dean licked his lips delightedly. He selected his favorite: what wasn't on the breakfast counter. Pie. Specifically cherry.

He knew his father always kept one hidden in the back of the pantry, for some reason, and every now and then Dean would steal a slice. Now was the time. Not like his father noticed a slice was missing, or cared. He knew Dean loved pie. That's probably why he never said anything after they would disappear.

 _Maybe he actually bought it for me in the first place,_ Dean thought curiously. _No, that couldn't be it._

He opened the swinging door, and rooted through some of the mess. His hands felt the foil container, and he grinned.

"What are you doing?! If Dad finds out, you'll be in trouble!" The sophomore called from the dining room. Dean stepped out to smirk at the long-haired teen, a cherry pie in tow. He set it down on the counter, and opened it. He closed his eyes, and let the sweet, appetizing smell of the syrup and cherries drift up his nose. He let his eyes flutter open, and he gazed at Sam with a grin.

"Relax. I've stolen slices thousands of times before. Besides, you're just jealous you don't have any super-fancy, super-healthy shit to eat, that's not _Cheerios_ ," Dean teased. Sam narrowed his eyes lightly.

"Jerk," he muttered, lowering his head to eat another spoonful of Cheerios.

"Bitch," Dean retorted as he sliced into the pie.

***

Meanwhile, at Chuck and Becky Shurley's Home for Orphaned Kids, things were a mess. There were three kids yelling off in distant hallways, looking for misplaced school supplies, and Castiel Novak was sitting at the polished dining table, under the gold crystal chandelier, massaging his fingers against his temples.

 _Oh boy. I can already tell it's going to be a very long morning,_ Castiel thought. 

Chuck, his "father," was chasing Samandriel around, trying to convince him to get dressed and get ready for school. There was constant activity going on in the huge, old Victorian house. Well, that was mostly because there were eight kids living under one roof.

Chuck and Becky had decided they wanted to start an orphanage after they discovered Becky was incapable of having children. It saddened them, of course. But with an orphanage, they could have as many children around as they wanted to. Although it seemed impossible for two adults to manage eight kids, they seemed to do quite well, mostly because all of them were growing up pretty quickly.

Becky was just pulling cinnamon rolls out of the oven. The sweet, tantalizing scent made Castiel lift his head. He lowered his arms onto the wooden table when Becky slid a white ceramic plate in front of him, with a cinnamon roll included. The smell made his mouth water.

_Mmm..._

"Thanks, Becky," he breathed, drool almost dripping out of his mouth. He reached for his silver fork, but before he could touch the cinnamon roll, a quick hand swooped down and snatched it away. Castiel gasped, and looked up with his ocean blue eyes to see his younger brother, Gabriel, take a bite out of it. Castiel frowned.

"Gabriel, really?" Castiel said, with a serious eyebrow raise. Gabriel grinned, the spark in his golden eyes flickering in the chandelier's light.

"Yup," Gabriel said. He took another bite, and licked the white frosting off one of his slim fingers. He glanced at Castiel. "These are absolutely delicious. You should have one, Cassie. Oh, wait. I forgot. I took it."

 _Screw you, Gabriel,_ Castiel growled in his mind. 

Becky laughed her little laugh that sounded like tinkling bells as she gave Castiel another cinnamon roll.

"You know, you should learn to treat your older brother with respect, Gabriel. It might come back to haunt you," Becky scolded.

Castiel gave his younger brother a reprimanding look. Gabriel laughed, and paused, putting a thin finger to his pink, plump lower lip. A smirk pulled at his lips, and he rolled his eyes.

"Let's see. Nah. Screwing with little Cassie- it's so much fun," Gabriel grinned, leaning over and ruffling up Castiel's already messy dark brown hair. Gabriel liked to tease him a lot, especially about his hair. He said it always looked like Castiel just got out of bed- with someone.

He took a playful yank at Castiel's silk blue tie and left, shoving the last bit of the cinnamon roll in his mouth, and shoving his hands in his skinny jeans.

"FINALLY. He left. Now I can enjoy my food in peace," Castiel grumbled quietly. He turned to his cinnamon roll, and cut a piece off with his fork. He stabbed the fluffy bread, and took a bite. It exploded in his mouth, with unexplainable sweetness. It filled him with happiness. 

"Mmm. Becky, you should become a cook," Castiel announced. "You'd be famous in an instant."

"Oh, stop it, Castiel. These were already pre-made, not made from scratch," she said with a smile as she turned off the oven, and prepped six more plates for the other kids that lived there.

Samandriel was the youngest. He liked to go by "Alfie," but no one knew why. They didn't even know where he came from, or his past. Alfie was in seventh grade.

Then came Anna. She was a freshman. She was found on the streets. She was the sweet and innocent one, and the only girl. 

Gabriel was next, as a sophomore. He and Castiel weren't exactly related at all, everyone was just really close, and referred to themselves as family. Gabriel was extremely different. His parents had given him away when he was five. Castiel was surprised Gabriel didn't remember, or acknowledge it.

Then there was Castiel himself, as a junior. He never remembered where he came from, mostly because he had woken up with no parents in a hospital.

Balthazar came next, and then Zachariah. Zachariah was the worst. He'd been in the orphanage for forever because someone left him on the doorstep when he was a baby. Balthazar was pretty bad, but not horrible like Zachariah. Balthazar was a bit nicer, but he always liked to make conversations awkward. He'd run away from his home, and had been found wandering around. They were juniors too.

Michael and Lucifer came last. They were fraternal twins. Their parents had died in a fire, and they were brought into the orphanage. The two of them were seniors, and they bickered and fought constantly. That was Castiel's dysfunctional family. No one ever bothered to bring up all of their weird names.

"GABRIEL!" Michael came running down the stairs, and Castiel gasped. Michael was wearing only a white towel around his waist, but his skin was a splotchy red and red liquid was running down from his dark brown hair.

 _Oh, gosh, what happened now?_ Castiel thought, frowning at the sight of Michael.

"Where is that little brat?!" Michael shouted. There was a strong aroma of fruit punch in the room. Castiel shrugged, turning up his nose at the smell. Most of the time, anger didn't really look good on Michael's handsome face.

"Last I saw him, he headed to the foyer," Castiel stated calmly, not wanting to get into the troubles and messes Gabriel usually caused. He took a bite of his cinnamon roll and chewed.

"I'm going to kill that little shit!" Michael hissed so that Becky wouldn't hear. Becky stepped out of the kitchen, drying her hands. She choked when she saw Michael. He stormed into the foyer.

"Michael, don't you go in there and drip red Kool-Aid on my clean wooden floors! If you do, I swear to God!" Becky yelled.

Michael's footsteps retreated hurriedly. Nobody messed with Becky. Even if you wanted to beat your brother to a pulp because he filled your showerhead with fruit punch Kool-Aid mix, you would listen to Becky. Chuck was a little less strict than Becky, but he kept them all in order. He was usually up in his study, writing, though.

After a moment, Gabriel peeped his head out. His tawny-brown hair was slightly messed up. He pushed it back casually, and offered a smirk.

"Is the coast clear?" He asked, strolling out slowly. Castiel sighed, watching Gabriel stick a cherry lollipop into his mouth, which he had seemed to whip up from nowhere.

"Yes, Gabriel," Castiel said. "Can we get to school now? I have been waiting for you to hurry up."

Gabriel took the lollipop out of his mouth with a wet pop, and stuck his tongue out at Castiel. "Yes, Cassie, supreme ruler of all, I've been ready for the last twenty minutes."

At 7:30, Castiel finally drove Gabriel to the Lawrence Day Senior High in his blue 1987 Dodge Charger. When they pulled up to the school, Castiel peered up at it with nervous blue eyes. He didn't know what to expect from that day.


	2. Improvise

Dean pulled up to the school in his black 1967 Impala, blasting rock music. He was singing along, his handsome face full of passion. Sam had sunk down into the black leather seat, his face red with embarrassment. He couldn't stand his brother, most of the time.

Dean pulled into a parking slot, and mimicked the guitar solo. Sam groaned, and punched Dean in the shoulder.

"Dude, really?" Sam hissed.

Dean glanced at Sam, smirking slightly.

"Only trying to embarrass you, man, and it's working pretty good," Dean said in satisfaction. 

Sam shook his head, his brown hair flopping. He pushed the door open, almost hitting the truck parked next to them.

"Careful! Don't scratch my Baby!" Dean snapped.

Sam winced. Dean was extremely protective over his car. Sometimes Sam swore Dean loved his car more than anything else. Even pie.

Dean sighed, now looking extremely pissed.

 _It's just a car,_ Sam thought grumpily.

Dean grabbed his black, torn-up backpack, and opened his door. He swung his foot out, and stood. Gazing across the parking lot, Dean looked determined. Sam climbed out, and gave Dean a weird look. Dean's eyes flickered to Sam.

"What?" Dean asked.

Sam shook his head.

"Nothing. You're just being really strange," Sam said nonchalantly.

"Nope. Just thinking of all the hot girls that could be walking down the hallway in their short skirts.....," Dean trailed off, smiling.

His green eyes had that usual lustful glimmer.

Sam rolled his hazel eyes, and began walking across the parking lot, the gravel crunching beneath his old red Converse.

"Typical," Sam muttered softly, a smile twitching at the corner of his thin lips.

 _Maybe I'll meet someone, too,_ he thought.

He shrugged that thought off, pushing back his shaggy hair. He liked to focus on his schoolwork, not girls.

The boys stuck close together, Dean swaggering up to the school, and Sam just walking normally.

Students watched, and whispered.

"Hey, aren't those the new kids?" They murmured as they stared and pointed. "Brothers, I heard."

Dean pulled at the collar of his leather jacket, grinning. Girls stared at him, and he took a few seconds to wink at a pretty brunette girl with square caramel colored glasses. She blushed deeply, and winked back, hiding behind her hands.

Sam grabbed his brother's arm and yanked him along. Most of the time, Dean was distracted by girls. Sam always felt constantly annoyed by Dean's flirty ways.

Sam turned his head to the front of the fancy school building, and he accidentally slammed his shoulder into someone.

"Oh, crap! Sorry, man," he winced, rubbing his shoulder.

He found himself staring down into pure, golden eyes. He'd never seen eyes like this guy's before. He froze up, instantly. The shorter guy pushed his tawny hair back with his thin hand, and grinned, almost a playful smile. His eyes sparkled. The guy took a red lollipop out of his mouth with a small wet noise. Sam zoned out, staring.

_Woah._

"It's totally okay, kiddo. I wasn't paying attention. My fault," the teenager said.

Sam could smell the boy's sweet, cherry-filled breath. His golden eyes felt like they were observing Sam's soul. Sam smiled nervously, feeling flustered suddenly. Then with that, the boy walked away, his hair fluttering in the cool breeze. Sam stared after him, pausing for a moment.

"Hey, dude! Pay attention!" Dean said, nudging Sam with his elbow. Sam whipped his head to Dean, surprised.

"What?!" Sam said, confused. Dean raised an eyebrow at Sam.

"We should go inside, bitch, I said. For the second time," Dean said impatiently.

"Oh. Right, jerk," Sam breathed.

Dean stared up at the building as the two brothers approached. His eyes widened in amazement as he took in the fancy arches made out of light gray bricks, and the columns descending down. The school towered above them like a lion about to pounce on it's prey.

"I wonder why Dad decided to send us to a fancy school," Dean said.

"I don't know. Maybe we're finally staying in one spot for longer than a month." Sam gave a shrug.

"Yeah, maybe. That would be cool, I guess. This school is nicer than most schools we've been to," Dean commented.

He pushed open the glass doors, and the two boys entered the school. Sam found that he couldn't get those shimmering golden eyes out of his head.

Dean peered around, shifting his feet on the polished wood floors. There was a huge crystal chandelier hanging from the ceiling. Dean gaped in awe.

An official looking woman with fierce red hair and sharp features noticed them and approached them. Her sharp gray eyes went to Dean first, and flicked up and down his body. She licked her lips, and smiled, her pure white teeth glinting. Dean got awkward, gripping the shoulder strap of his backpack.

"Cougar," he muttered under his breath.

Sam snorted.

"Really, dude? You've just assumed our principal is a cougar," Sam hissed. "Why would they hire her if she was a freaking cougar?"

The woman was extremely good looking, dressed in a tight fitting red blouse and a black skirt that reached her shaped calves. Her heels clicked as she approached the two boys.

"You must be the Winchesters," she said in a pristine voice. "I am Ms. Abbadon, your principal."

She reached out her pale, manicured hand to Dean. He shook it, and Sam felt Dean tense next to him. Sam shook her slim hand without a problem. Dean subconsciously wiped his hand on his rough blue jeans, as if the handshake they shared was poisonous.

Ms. Abbadon watched Dean, her painted red lips twitching into a smile.

"Welcome to Lawrence Day. Here are your schedules," the stunning principal said, handing them each a thin slip of yellow paper. Sam gazed around as Dean chewed at his bottom lip. "I hope you have a good day. Come by my office if you have any questions."

With that, she smiled at Dean, and turned away, tossing her scarlet curls casually over her shoulder. Dean shivered. Sam grinned slightly.

"Dude, I think she likes you," Sam teased.

Dean blushed furiously, and shoved his brother. Sam regained his balance after a moment.

"Oh, shut it, man! That's gross. They should never let cougars be principals," Dean snapped.Sam gazed at Ms. Abbadon, who was slipping behind some glass doors that must've led to the office. "Besides, there's nothing I could do about it, as long as she stays away from me."

"Why'd you think she was a cougar?" Sam asked after a moment, tilting his head.

"Did you see the way that woman checked me out? Ugh," Dean said uncomfortably. "Can we just get off this subject?"

Sam grinned. Sometimes he liked making his brother uncomfortable.

He sighed, and peered around. The huge glass windows provided large amounts of white light to filter in. There was many pieces of expensive looking art around, and white columns stretched to the tall ceilings. Everything was wood, white, and blue. There were blue hangings of the school crest everywhere, which was a white knight with black wings, holding a sword. It was surrounded with a ribbon that quoted- _"Equites Defendendi Ignis."_ Sam lowered his head, and pulled out his phone. He quickly searched the Latin. Knights Defending Fire? Sam frowned.

 _That's a weird thing for a school crest to say,_ Sam thought.

He took a quick breath, and unfolded his schedule. He peered at it. He had picked out his classes a month ago, so he completely forgot what he chose. He read the list. The school day didn't seem very long, it was only 7 periods. 

Sam felt a nervous tremble go through his hands, but he was excited to start school. Of course, he would be starting in the middle of everything. He felt a bit cautious about being introduced into all of his new classes. He turned his head to look at Dean. 

"What's your schedule?" Sam asked. Dean gave his yellow list to Sam. Sam compared his and Dean's.

"Cool, you've got PE with me third hour. You're in a different PE class though," Sam said. Then he paused and looked at Dean. "Really, dude? Choir? Everyone knows that if you want to a popular person you can't be in choir. Choir's basically social suicide." 

Dean blushed, ducking his head. His hand crammed the schedule into his pocket.

"I thought I might try something different this year. And who the hell cares about being popular or well known?" Dean said with a shrug. He did care. He liked being the one that everyone knew; the handsome young man who attracted the attention of every stunning girl. 

The bell chirped suddenly, and students who were crowded in the long hallways around blue lockers made their way to their classes. Doors opened and closed and the large amount of noise died down. 

Dean numbly said goodbye to Sam, and made his way to his history class. He gazed around, and then pulled out his classes sheet, and found the room number for History. 215. He hurried off down the long silent hallway, and went up a flight of curved marble stairs. His hand gripped the wooden banister until his knuckles ached. Another chandelier hung at the top, and Dean breathed out a sigh. 

_What was with this fancy-as-hell  and its fancy-as-hell chandeliers?!_ His mind shouted. _Why would Dad even bother sending us here if we're only going to stay here for a little while?_

When he arrived at the class room, he was already one minute late. He stumbled in, breathless. All eyes turned to him, and his knees turned to Jell-O. He cleared his throat and shifted his feet.

_Oh, God. Stop staring at me,_ his mind grumbled. 

"Uh," Dean stammered. Mr. Corey turned around, and grinned. Mr. Corey was an older looking man, but he had a bright face and a tall stature. His crystal eyes twinkled mischievously, as if he had a bunch of secret ideas Dean didn't know about. Dean got real nervous, real quick. 

"Class, this is a new student being welcomed into Lawrence Day. His name is Dean Winchester," Mr. Corey announced, running a hand through his graying hair. "Lisa, would you mind updating Dean on what we're studying?" 

The only thing Dean heard was "Lisa" and he went on full alert. 

_Please be hot, please be hot_ , his mind repeated. 

Dean prepared himself for a total babe, and felt absolutely satisfied as a gorgeous girl in a small, light blue, button up blouse and a short pleated pink and light blue striped skirt stood up. Her rich chocolate brown locks cascaded over her shoulders as she surveyed Dean with her coffee colored eyes. She smiled, her pink lips widening. She picked up her small designer purse that was hanging on the side of her chair. Dean could only stare as he watched her hips sway. 

_Yes.... hello, babe,_ his mind drawled. 

Lisa approached him. 

"I wouldn't mind. Come on, Dean. We'll go sit out in the hallway," she said, walking past him, and gently taking his arm in her soft hands. He followed, distracted. She was stunning. He pulled out and sat down slowly in a wooden chair that was pushed into a table, and cleared his throat. She sat across from him, and fluttered her eyelashes, waiting for him to speak. Her hands rested on the smooth table. Dean racked his brain for something to say.

_Go with charming, Dean,_ he thought. _Oh- wait, this one's good._

"You are one of the most beautiful girls I've ever met," Dean stated smoothly. She smiled, and blushed, fiddling with one of the brown curls that hung over her shoulder.

"Thank you," she said. "And you are most certainly one of the more handsome guys I've met."

"Tell me something I don't know," he said, grinning in satisfaction. He casually leaned back in his seat. 

"Okay," she said, pulling a slim blue pen out of her purse. "Give me your hand." 

He sat up and held it out to her, and she took it in one of her smooth, smaller hands. She began to write on his hand. Dean felt the pen tip push gently into his skin. 

"My number," she said. She gently pushed his hand shut. "That's something you didn't know, but you do now." 

He smirked at her. She slid the pen silently back into her miniature bag. He drew his hand back, winked at her, and she gave him a look.

"You're distracting me," she accused playfully. "Shouldn't we be talking about History?"

"Just now meeting you makes me wish we had one," he said, staring at her. She blushed a bright pink, her tan freckles standing out against her cheeks. She leaned forward to rest her chin in her hand. He secretly wished that her blouse was open some buttons. That would give him another thing to stare at. She was clearly interested in him, and he felt extremely proud of himself. 

She smiled, and said, "We should go out sometime." 

"I don't know. I'm not really into the long-term dating thing," Dean said with a shrug. He leaned towards her a little. "But for you, I could be."

She raised a slim brown eyebrow, impressed. She sat back, grinning. Her white teeth sparkled. 

"You are so freaking smooth! How?" She asked, lowering her astonished voice as she watched a student pass. 

"I get that way around gorgeous young women like you," he said simply. Lisa blushed furiously, and giggled. The History door opened, and Dean sat up. Mr. Corey poked his head out. 

"Sorry to ruin your flirting, but it's time to come back into class," Mr. Corey said. The class gave a laugh. 

_Oh. Dang it,_ Dean thought. He was disappointed that his flirting with Lisa had to end. _Say at least one last smooth comment, Dean._

"Well, you shouldn't of sent me out with the most beautiful girl in the school," Dean said and he grinned, and stood, pushing the metal chair back in. Lisa laughed nervously, and every boy in the room looked impressed. 

Everything seemed to be going Dean's way. He had just caught the eyes of a pretty, popular girl, and he might've just earned himself a name and a reputation at that school.

"Just to let you know, we're studying is politics, laws, and crime." 

"Like the Purge?" Dean asked. Mr. Corey laughed.

"Sure, Dean. The Purge," he said joyfully. 

"Cool," Dean said as he entered the classroom. Lisa followed him in, and took her seat. Mr. Corey checked his seating chart that was sitting on his desk. Dean adjusted the strap of his backpack. 

"Dean, you can have a seat next to.... Ruby and Kevin," Mr. Corey said, looking up at Dean. 

Dean spotted the empty wooden desk in the fourth row towards the back. He walked back, and slid into his seat after taking off his backpack. He stared ahead at the board, and managed to pay attention for five minutes until he noticed the dark haired girl sitting next to him was giving him a look. 

_The fuck? Why is she staring at me?!_ He thought, returning the look.

"What?!" He whispered harshly. 

"You're new? Dean, right?" She asked, staring him down with her almost black colored eyes. 

"Uh, yeah? Did you not hear Mr. Corey say that?" Dean questioned.

"I choose not to pay attention to whatever that thing says. He's annoying," the girl murmured. 

Dean frowned; he had thought Mr. Corey was pretty cool for a teacher. 

The girl smiled, tilting her head and glancing at him. 

"I'm Ruby. Anyways, how would you like to sit at my table at lunch? Lisa will be there." 

Dean cast a look towards Lisa, who was listening to Mr. Corey with interest. She seemed like a pretty smart and good student. Dean flicked his eyes back to Ruby. 

_Say yes, Dean. You know you totally want to get into Lisa's pants,_ he thought, chewing at his lip. 

"Sure," Dean agreed. "I'll come sit at your table."

"Awesome," Ruby said, sitting back in her chair. She put her black leather boots up on the kid's seat in front of her, and smirked. She was hot and seemed pretty chill, but Dean wasn't interested.

The kid on the other side of Dean scoffed. Dean turned his head to face an Asian boy with dark hair and slightly narrowed eyes. 

"What?" Dean said. 

"Nothing," the boy said, tapping his Number 2 pencil against his desk. "It's just that you just signed up for a whole lot of shit." 

"What the hell does that mean?" Dean hissed.

"That crowd- with Lisa and Ruby- they'll drag you down. They'll set you up in fights, urge you to drink and smoke, and other bad things."  Dean raised his eyebrow at the kid. "And go to parties. They'll ruin your life."

_No big deal,_ Dean thought. 

"I already do that. Minus the smoking," Dean said with a shrug. 

The boy gaped at him. 

"You don't want to focus on school? Get good grades?" The boy exclaimed softly. 

"No, of course not. School's super boring. You sound too much like my brother," Dean joked. He gazed at the boy. "It's Kevin, right?" 

The boy nodded slightly, and then a confused look drifted onto his face. 

"Then what are you at school for?" He asked.

Dean gave a careless shrug of his shoulders, his jacket shifting.

"The girls," Dean said. Ruby busted out laughing next to him. 

"Nice one, dude," she said. Dean grinned. 

"I know, right?" He said, feeling satisfied.

She leaned over her desk, and whispered, "Just ignore the nerds. They aren't the people you should be hanging around with. Crowley will be happy you've joined his table. You definitely fit in with the cool kids."

"Cool," Dean said simply. 

***

Lunch rolled around, and Lisa managed to find Dean in the crowd of students. She walked up to him, and gently touched his shoulder. He turned, and grinned. She smiled, and lowered her eyes to his hand. She lifted it, and entwined her fingers in his tough, leathery ones. 

_Hello, beautiful,_ his mind purred. 

"Follow me," she said sweetly.

He smirked, and hurried after her. She led him through a set of glass doors, and into a huge room with a tall ceiling. The cafeteria was extremely nice, with large table and padded seats. Wooden stairs led up to another level of dining tables. 

"Come on," Lisa said, tugging on Dean's arm. He was gaping around as tons of students walked around.

_Wow. This is huge. They must have only one lunch time for all the the students. This school is awesome!_ He thought, grinning. 

Lisa led him up the stairs, and to a table on a balcony. There was a group of people hanging out there, including Ruby, who was looking a little sulky, with her arms crossed.

There was a guy who seemed to be the center of attention. He was bulky, and muscular, with closely cropped brown hair and playful, tricking, ice gray eyes. He smirked when he saw Dean. A voluptuous girl sitting next to him turned to look, her red lips twisting into a smile and lifting her slightly plump cheeks. The guy stood, and walked to Dean, with an almost slow swagger. He cleared his throat, and did another one of his trademark smirks, lifting one corner of his mouth to show white teeth. 

"You must be Dean," he said. Dean was surprised. He expected a gruff voice, but the guy had a throaty purr, with a thick English accent.

"Yup. And you're Crowley?" Dean asked. 

"Yes. Welcome to Lawrence Day. What asshole enrolled you in this shitty school?" Crowley drawled. 

Dean laughed.

"My father. And you got the description right. He is a severe ass," Dean said casually. 

The table gave a laugh. The curvy girl slunk up next to Crowley, and wrapped her arm around Crowley's. Her brown eyes glinted mischievously. 

"Come. Have a seat," Crowley said simply, gesturing to the round wooden table. Dean slid into a seat next to the girl. She stayed linked to Crowley. Dean figured out pretty quickly that they were a couple.

"So what's it take to get food around here?" Dean asked. Crowley handed him a menu. 

"Order anything you want," Crowley said, and he shrugged. Ruby pouted, sinking down into her seat a little more, and crossing her arms a little tighter. 

"What's your problem?" Dean asked.

"They haven't come with my pancakes yet," she whined. 

The table laughed, and Ruby offered a grin. 

Meanwhile, Lisa was pining for Dean's attention. She was giggling and flirting shamelessly. 

Dean saw in the corner of his eye Crowley whisper something to the girl, and she laughed. They shared a long, sweet kiss. Dean grinned slightly, and turned his head back to the menu. 

He had to admit, he liked seeing other people with their significant other. It was kind of cute. 

_That Asian kid was wrong,_ Dean thought. _These people were actually really nice. Hmm. I should actually go find Sam, and see what he's up to._

"I'll be right back. I'm gonna go find my bro," Dean said, standing and pushing his chair back in. 

"Okay. Sounds good," Crowley said, and the girl on his shoulder distracted him. He kissed the girl again, looking happy. Dean smiled, and walked off, gazing around. He paused for a moment- he thought he saw a flash of Sammy's red Converse. 

Dean turned, and crashed right into someone. Water spilled all over Dean's left thigh. 

"Aw, shit, man," Dean muttered. 

"Oh, God, I'm sorry." He heard a low, rough voice. Dean looked up to see a boy blushing bright red. He had messy dark brown hair, but Dean was too busy staring into his soft angelic blue eyes. 

Dean froze up, and stammered, "Uh, no, it's, um, okay." 

The boy stood, and offered his hand to Dean. Dean gripped it, and the boy pulled him up. His hands seemed so extremely soft. Dean subconsciously licked his lips.

"Well," the boy said, clearing his throat and shifted his feet. He became silent.

"Yeah," Dean said. His eyes flicked down to the shorter boy. Dean was a head taller than him. Their hands stayed linked for a moment as the boy stared into Dean's clover green eyes. Dean pulled his hand away awkwardly, and blushed. 

The boy went into an embarrassed frenzy, hiding his face and ducking his head. He fiddled with the tan collar of his long, old trenchcoat. For a moment Dean forgot about the huge water spot on his leg. 

_He's absolutely beautiful,_ he thought with a small smile tugging at the corner of his lips. 

"I'm so sorry. Um, just let me get a towel or something," the boy said, looking flustered. 

"No, no, don't bother. It'll dry," Dean said, shaking his head.

"Are you sure?" The boy asked in a tiny voice. Dean nodded, staring at his huge blue eyes. 

The boy was really adorable, in a way. Dean shook his head. He wasn't supposed to think that! That was wrong. He wasn't interested in guys! But even when the boy ran off, Dean found himself smiling after him. 

***

Meanwhile, Sam had no idea where to sit. He was wandering around the spacious, white cafeteria, biting his lip. He jammed his hands into his jeans pockets.

Suddenly, a cherry haired girl popped up. He jumped, gasping. His hand clutched his chest as he stared at her, his breathing a little hard, mostly because she had scared the crap out of him. She had a bright smile, a button nose and freckles patterned her light pink cheeks. 

"You must be new!" The girl exclaimed, adjusting her nerd glasses. Sam stuttered. "Actually, you're Sam Winchester, right?" 

"Uh, what?" He asked, pausing.

_How does she know me?_ His mind wondered.

"Uh, yeah, I am," he stammered. He cleared his throat. "Why?"

"Do you want to sit with us?" She asked, gesturing to her table. There was a very interesting looking crowd gathered there. 

_Oh, well, I might as well agree, as it seems I have nowhere else to sit or be_ , he thought.

"Sure," he agreed. 

The girl smiled hugely. 

"Fantabulous!" She sang, grabbing his arm and pulling him over.

He slid into a seat, and rested his hands on the cold wooden table top. He gazed at the collection of people sitting around the table. 

"Well. Sam, next to you is Kevin," the girl said, gesturing to a boy with spiky black hair, who had his nose buried in a book. The boy's brown eyes peeked up. He drew his face away, and formally shook Sam's hand. Sam looked surprised. 

Then Sam turned to the girl sitting next Kevin, who Charlie addressed as "Jo." She had long, blonde that fell to her stomach. She grinned at Sam, and then turned to the boy who sat next to her, and continued to talk with him.

He had a mullet and his name with Ash. He seemed like the rocker type, with thick wristbands and a torn t-shirt with a band logo Sam didn't recognize. 

Then there was a boy with blond, spiky and messy hair, named Balthazar. He was leaning causally back in his seat, sipping at tea. 

_Strange name, _Sam thought.__

"So, how do you like it here so far?" Balthazar asked. His voice was a British accent in a way, sort of clipped. He winked at Sam. Sam frowned slightly, chewing at his lip. 

____

"Good. Fine. Whatever," Sam said with a shrug.

____

_Everyone at this table seems pretty nice. They are still a strange crowd, though_ , Sam thought as the girl grinned, and pulled out a book. 

____

She began reading it, and giggled. Sam frowned, tilting his head. 

____

"Uh, you haven't introduced yourself," Sam said quickly. 

____

The girl's head lifted, and she smiled. She stuck out her hand, and shook Sam's very formally. 

____

"I'm Charlie, matchmaker and fangirl extraordinaire," she said.

____

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to all those who left kudos and comments on the previous chapter. I appreciate it a lot. This chapter is considerably longer, also.  
> On the choir subject, I have nothing against choir. I'm actually in a few. It's not really social suicide, honestly.  
> Anyways, thanks for reading this one!  
> Please leave kudos and helpful comments or suggestions! Thank you! :)


	3. Cherry Pies

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Quick note-  
> You like the rhyming chapter names? ;)  
> Cuz that's how it's gonna be for the rest of the story. Haha, it's fantastic!

Sam was looking forward to his last class, mostly because that meant he was only forty-five minutes away from being free. He entered the class, gulping nervously.

Even though the day had been full of embarrassing introductions to the class from the teacher, he never quite got used to it.

But when he walked in, he felt his whole body freeze up.

In the first desk in the last row sat the golden-eyed boy. Sam's breath caught in his throat, and he coughed weirdly. The boy's eyes rested on him. He swallowed, and sat in the third row, near the back.

 _Oh, God, do I talk to him?_ He thought. _No. No, don't. It's a risk, and you don't want to embarrass yourself. Wait. Why am I even trying to impress this guy?_

The bell rang, and some students rushed in late.

Sam sighed, and turned his hazel eyes to the front.

After fifteen minutes into the class, the teacher never acknowledged that there was a new student in the class. Sam felt relieved.

 _Thank you, teacher,_ his mind whispered.

He listened to the teacher lecture, and he wrote down notes, scratching graphite against the paper. 

Suddenly the teacher made a deep sigh.

"Gabe, it helps if you _pay attention_ and not stare at your classmates. I'm sure it makes them rather uncomfortable," the teacher said evenly.

Sam looked at this so-called " _Gabe_ ," who had his stunning eyes on him.

"Sorry, miss. There was just better things to pay attention to," Gabe said.

Gabe smirked, and gave a sly wink to Sam. Sam sat up and flushed, dropping his eyes. He chewed at his lip, staring at the notes he had just took.

He was mentally slapping himself for letting this guy " _Gabe_ " get to him.

Then Gabe's eyes flicked to the teacher.

"And it's _Gabriel_. Not Gabe," Gabriel said.

The teacher sighed again.

"Right, _Gabriel_ ," she said, and she continued teaching.

Sam's mind went back to all the flirtatious smiles and winks.

 _Is he just flirting with me to get to me, or is he actually interested in me?_ Sam's mind questioned.

He watched as the boy took out a bright red sucker from almost nowhere, and stuck it through his gorgeous pink lips. All Sam could do for the rest of the period was twitch whenever he heard the popping sound of the lollipop exiting Gabriel's mouth.

***

Dean had to admit, he was kind of looking forward to Men's Choir. He heard that Mr. Shafer, the men's choir teacher, was a really fun and energetic guy.

He honestly had no knowledge about singing, he just usually sang along with random rock songs, or whatever was on the radio. He walked into the class, and gaped at all the different guitars arranged at the front of the room.

Mr. Shafer was a tall, extremely blond man with spiked up hair. He wore a type of black framed glasses that looked like nerd glasses.

"Ah, _Dean_! Welcome to Men's Choir!" Mr. Shafer exclaimed. "Sit, sit! Watch how things are done!"

Dean sat casually in a seat in the front of the room. He studied the white floor, which was tiles decorated with black music notes, and the walls, which were blue. There was also a huge lit trophy case with thousands of sparkling golden awards and fancy certificates were set up.

 _Wow, this room looks cool,_ Dean thought. _Also, wonder what he meant by 'watch how things are done...'_

Suddenly, a beautiful choral sound began. Dean turned his head, gasping softly. Rich voices came together as one to fill the air and all the corners. Dean was speechless, staring past Mr. Shafer's conducting arms, and at all the singing boys. They didn't sound like boys- they sounded like men.

 _Holy shit_.

They were singing in French, and it sounded so stunning and harmonious. He listened to the bass's section, hearing their deep, careful trembles.

He suddenly spotted the smaller, dark brown-haired boy from earlier, with the bright blue tie and eyes. Dean watched as his pale pink lips formed the words to the song. He was enchanted.

Dean managed to rip his eyes away from the boy, and he listened to the tenor's high warbles. The song faded off, and Mr. Shafer turned to Dean.

Dean felt astonished.

" _Wow_ ," was all Dean could manage to squeak. Mr. Shafer laughed, throwing his head back.

"Sit, boys," he said. "Dean, come here."

Dean stood, and walked over to Mr. Shafer.

"Men, this is a new student, and a new member of our choir. This is Dean Winchester," Mr. Shafer announced, adjusting his emerald green tie. "Now, Dean, we'll determine your part in a few days, alright?"

"Okay," Dean said numbly.

"So, do you play any instruments?" Mr. Shafer asked.

"Oh, uh, guitar and piano," Dean said, ducking his head and shifting his feet nervously.

"Now, don't be embarrassed about having many talents," Mr. Shafer said. He turned to the class. "Men, just go ahead and hang out. I'm going to let Dean look around."

The choir room filled with small chat.

Dean gazed around, seeing all sorts of instruments, and a shiny black grand piano. He gasped, and went over to it. He felt the smooth, polished surface, and stroked the ivory keys.

 _Woah. This looks like a pretty expensive piano,_ he thought with a smile. _Must've cost a fortune._

He heard a familiar low voice behind him.

"You play?" He heard. Dean turned to face the beautiful boy.

 _Oh sweet Jesus,_ Dean thought. _Goddamnit, he scared me._

He coughed awkwardly, for the boy was standing really close. Dean backed a step up, and bumped into the piano.

 _Back away, dude,_ he hissed in his mind.

The close space between them made him start up in a cold sweat. 

"Uh, yeah," Dean stuttered. The boy flicked his sapphire eyes to the keys.

"Play a song, then. And sing," the boy challenged.

Dean turned bright pink with embarrassment.

_What?_

"Uh, dude, you just don't order someone to play and sing for you," he said.

"Well, it wasn't an order. It was a suggestion," the boy said."And, um, it's Castiel."

" _Cas-tiel_? That's your name?" Dean asked, with a raise of his dirty blond eyebrows.

"Yes, Castiel," Castiel said.

Dean tilted his head.

 _His name's too weird. Nickname time!_ His mind sang.

"Alright. Well, Cas, I guess I'll play you a song," Dean said."But how about on guitar? I'm better on guitar."

"Okay. But it's _Castiel_ , too," Cas said gruffly.

Dean ignored that last comment.

Cas tugged on his tie with his thick hands. Dean slung a red guitar strap over his shoulder, and slid the clear pick out. He lowered himself onto a metal stool with a red seat. He began to lightly strum randomly, his face settling into a serious look.

 _What to sing, what to sing_ , he thought. _Ah! I know_.

He cleared his throat, and began.

"Another day in this carnival of souls. Another night settles in, as quickly as it goes. The memories are shadows; ink on the page. And I can't seem to find my way home," he started, soft and nervous.

His voice grew strong with every word as he looked up at Cas, who was watching him intently.

"And it's almost like your heaven's trying everything, your heaven's trying everything to keep me out. All the places I've been and things I've seen. A million stories that made up a million shattered dreams. The faces of people I'll never see again and I can't seem to find my way home."

His voice was pure and beautiful, and Cas couldn't help but study his face, and his body, and everything about him. Dean's words rang out, and rumbled in his muscular chest ( _ooh_ , Cas thought), and his heart as he strummed the thick strings of the guitar.

He shifted his feet on the metal bars of the stool, tapping his foot. His face was expressive, his green eyes reflecting the passion and understanding of the song. Cas watched his thick, worn hands move, his pink lips move fluently, his freckled cheeks dotted with the patterns of stars.

 _He's so beautiful,_ Cas thought.

He found himself falling in love. He didn't realize that he'd slowly sunken down in a seat.

"...to break me... down," Dean finished.

Cas blinked. Dean noticed that the whole room had gone silent, and they were busy staring at him. His eyes widened; he was startled.

They suddenly erupted into applause. He blushed, and slipped the guitar off.

"Uh, thanks," he called awkwardly to all the guys. The clapping died down, and Dean turned to Cas.

"So?" He asked. Cas gazed at him, staring so intently that Dean shifted his feet nervously, finding it troublseine to gaze back into those clear blue eyes.

"Your voice is absolutely amazing. All I can say is wow," Cas breathed. He dropped his intense gaze, and Dean breathed a sigh of relief. He fidgeted with his trenchcoat sleeves. "I wish I could play guitar like that."

"I could teach you," Dean offered. Cas was flustered.

"Oh, no, you don't have to," he squeaked.

"It's no problemo," Dean said with a shrug. Cas shifted.

"Maybe. Oh, and, um, sorry about the whole incident at lunch," Cas said.

"Oh, no, it's fine. You're okay," Dean said.

Cas looked away for a moment.

"Is it? Your friends probably suggested that you should've punched me for ruining your, uh, jeans," Cas said, with a glance down at Dean's thigh, almost as if he was checking if the spot was still there.

_He's bowlegged? Wow, that's kind of hot._

He was surprised he didn't notice it earlier, and he was also surprised that he'd actually thought that. 

"My jeans aren't ruined, Cas, and no, they didn't insist I punch you. And you'd be surprised. They're actually kind of nice to everyone," Dean said.

Cas looked surprised.

"No, they're only nice to you because you're cool and I'm not," Cas said bluntly.

Dean smiled slightly, confused.

"You're cool," Dean said.

"Not to them. Besides, you should see my friends. We're the nerdy crowd," Cas said.

"Oh, so you know Kevin, that Asian kid?" Dean asked.

"Oh, yes. Kevin is extremely smart," Cas commented.

Dean paused for a moment and looked at Cas.

"We should hang out after school some time. You're a cool dude, Cas, no matter what anyone thinks," Dean said, giving Cas's shoulder one of those "manly hits."

Cas almost fell.

 _Woo. He's strong,_ Cas thought.

Dean walked off, grinning and talking to some of the other guys.

_Wait. Did he call me Cas again?!_

"...It's Castiel.....," Cas started, but then he realized he loved the sound of " _Cas_ " rolling off Dean's tongue and through his beautiful lips too much to even care.

***

Sam exited his History classroom happily, glad to finally get to go home and work on homework. He knew Dean wouldn't work on homework, he would either slack off, sleep, or watch Casa Erotica ( _eww_!) or Doctor Sexy, M.D.

Ugh. Sam hated it when Dean did that.

As he hurried down the flight of stairs, he spotted Dean chatting up a brown haired boy who was wearing a long, tan trenchcoat. Sam blinked, and walked up.

"Hey, Dean. Who's this?" He asked.

"Oh, hey Sam. This is Cas," Dean said.

Cas gave a slight nod. Sam grinned back, and then gazed at Dean. Sam was almost an inch or two taller than Dean now. He was really happy about that. 

"Hey, are we ready to....," Sam trailed off as the golden eyed boy from his History class strolled up, sucking on a lollipop. _Gabriel_.

"Hey, Cassie," the boy said, drawing the candy out of his mouth.

Sam watched, and tried not to think about that sight too deeply. He shifted his eyes away before things got really awkward.

"Hey, Gabe. How many times do I have to tell you to stop calling me that?" Cas greeted impatiently.

Gabe grinned. He tilted his arm up and rested it on Cas's shoulder, using him to lean against. It seemed a bit difficult for him to do so, for he was shorter than Cas. Cas frowned anyways. 

"Oh, right, sorry, Castiel. But don't call me Gabe. That name's only for special people," Gabe said with a roll of his eyes.

He pointedly glanced up at Sam, and gave Sam the usual smirk. But Gabe gave him a quick wink which Dean and Cas didn't notice.

_Oh God._

Sam got fidgety, and he could feel his cheeks heat up. Gabe stuck the red lollipop back in his mouth.

"So, are you ready to go to the diner and get some pie?" Cas asked Gabriel.

"Pie?" Dean said blankly.

Sam facepalmed himself.

 _Great. That's the last word you should mention in front of Dean,_ he thought, rolling his eyes.

"Yeah, pie. You wanna come?" Gabriel asked, eyeing Dean.

"Yes!" Dean exclaimed.

The four of them decided to meet for an early supper there, at 5.

As they drove home, Dean was humming. Sam sighed frustratedly.

"Dude, I have homework!" He argued, looking at Dean.

Dean pursed his lips, and shrugged, tapping his fingers against the steering wheel.

"You have an hour to do it, and then afterwards. Just calm down, bitch. It'll be fun," he said, letting his eyes flick to Sam as he pulled into the drive. "Besides this is a way to make friends."

"Fine, jerk," Sam griped.

He thought about Gabriel for a moment, and smiled a bit. He warmed up to the idea, and in an hour's time, they arrived at the diner.

***

When Dean and Sam pulled up, they weren't expecting a diner that was a late 60's theme. It had vintage neon signs and a bright blue painted outside.

"'Ellen and Jo's,'" Dean read. "Sounds cool. Let's go in."

Dean pulled the Impala into a space, and turned off the engine with a flick of his silver key. The two boys traded glances with each other, and both got out of the car. Dean slammed the door shut with a squeak, and began to walk to the glass doors. Sam hurried after. Dean turned back, and after pressing the button several times firmly, the Impala locked. Sam pushed open the door, and the brothers entered.

The walls were painted the same color as the outside, but the inside was even more old and stylish. Coca-Cola signs were everywhere, as well as Texaco and Ford, and other vintage signs. The booths were red and white striped, and the floor was checkered black and white.

Dean gazed around, and his eyes attached themselves to the cherry pie nestled in the display case. Sam heard Dean make a soft noise of longing.

 _Oh boy_ , Sam groaned internally.

Sam always heard that small whine whenever Dean saw pie. Sam even gave it a nickname- " _Dean's Pie Noise_."

Sam spotted the two boys sitting at a booth, and dragged Dean away from the pies. Sam slid into the booth next to Gabriel, and Dean slipped in next to Cas. Cas beamed.

"Hey," he chirped.

"Heya, Cas," Dean said cheerfully. "So, does this joint have bacon cheeseburgers or not?"

"It does! How did you know?" Cas said. Dean grinned brightly.

"I got this vibe, y'know?" He asked.

A woman walked up. She had a happy, worn look to her brown eyes, and her soft copper hair spilled to her shoulders.

"How may I help you, boys?" She asked, with a smile at Cas and Gabe. She pulled out a red pen and a small yellow notepad. Dean cleared his throat.

"I'll take a bacon cheeseburger with all the works, fries, and a chocolate milkshake, please, ma'am," Dean said politely.

The woman scribbled it down, and turned her eyes to Cas. He hurriedly ordered a plain double cheeseburger, fries, and a Coca-Cola. Gabriel flipped through the menu while Sam ordered a salad with dressing, a bowl of fruit and a water.

" _Health nut,_ " Dean murmured  absently at Sam's order.

The woman looked at Gabriel and raised her eyebrows expectantly, waiting for him to order.

"I'll have him," Gabriel said lightly, jerking his head towards Sam. He choked.

 ** _WHAT?!_**  Sam's mind shrieked.

Dean and Cas started laughing. The woman laughed as well. Gabriel grinned.

" _What_?!" Sam exclaimed, out loud this time.

"Dude, I was joking. Lighten up," Gabriel said. Sam felt like he wasn't joking. He looked at the woman. "I'll take your nachos, and a chocolate milkshake."

"Alright. I'll be back with those in a few minutes," the woman said kindly, smiling. She capped her pen and walked off.

Dean was still snorting slightly, and Sam was as red as a tomato. As they waited for their food, the boys began to chat.

Sam tried to calm himself.

"So, are we all in different grades?" Dean asked.

"Cas and I are. I'm a sophomore, and Cas is a junior," Gabriel said.

"Oh, cool. I'm a sophomore, and Dean's a senior. How old are you two?" Sam asked.

"I'm 15," Gabriel said simply.

"17," Cas said. "And you two?"

"I'm 18. Sam's 16," Dean said.

Gabriel sat back, gazing at Sam. His intense gold eyes made it hard for Sam to focus. He actually felt okay about Gabe's constant flirting. The guy was attractive.

 _And cute,_ his mind added. He shook his head slightly to dismiss the thought.

 

***

They spent an hour at the diner, and for dessert, they bought a cherry pie. Gabriel and Cas took Cas's car back to the Winchester's house, following behind the sleek Impala. As Cas and Gabe walked in, they stared around.

"Wow. This is a nice house," Cas commented.

"Thanks. It's also, like, forty million years old," Sam said, setting the pie down on the counter.

"Let's get this thing eaten!" Dean exclaimed, tearing the lid off. He opened a wooden drawer and drew out a knife, and a silver tool to scoop a slice out. He got out four plates, and slipped a slice onto each one.

Gabriel snagged a plate and fork, grinning. Sam took one, and Cas took another. Dean and Cas went to the living room to watch TV.

Gabriel peered up at the staircase that led to the porch. Their house rested on a hill that overlooked the town below. Gabriel climbed the stairs, and flicked on the porchlight, and stepped out. He sat on the wooden bench that faced the view. Sam followed him out, and settled down on the bench. It was quiet.

_Weird, he seemed like the talkative type-_

"So, how's life treatin' you?" Gabriel asked suddenly.

"Fine," Sam responded, chewing a bite of his pie. The air was silent around them for a while, expect for the crickets. It was almost as if Gabriel was waiting for him to talk more. When Sam didn't, Gabriel spoke up.

"Fine? That's it? How can you be so moose-ish?" Gabriel said. "Ah! That's what I should call you. _Moose_!"

"Please don't," Sam pleaded, even though the thought of Gabriel having a special nickname for him was pleasing. Only if it wasn't " _Moose_." 

"No can do, Sammoose!" Gabriel sang.

"Fine... _Gabe_!" Sam spat playfully. Gabriel grinned, almost like he actually wanted Sam to call him that.

Sam studied the smaller boy in the moonlight. He was thin, but he had a small bit of pudginess to his belly- probably from eating so much candy. Other than that, he was well built, but short.

Gabriel took a bite out of his pie, but left a small smear of cherry syrup on his pink lips. Sam paused, blinking down at it. He almost felt tempted to- nope!

 _Just tell him without making it sound like you were staring at his lips_ , Sam thought.

"Uh, Gabe?" Sam asked.

"Yes, Moose?" Gabe said, gazing intently at him with his golden eyes.

 _Awkward_.

"You have a little...," Sam trailed off, tapping his lips. Gabe became quickly self-conscious.

"What? Where?" Gabe said, sitting up. He took his napkin, and wiped, blushing. He only missed the spot. Sam froze. He wanted to wipe Gabe's face as non-awkwardly as possible. A smirk flitted across Gabe's face.

There was a pause. 

"Y'know, Moose, if you want to kiss me, you can," Gabe said, staring into Sam's eyes. Sam felt himself wrap his hand around Gabe's neck instead, and he pulled Gabe's face towards his own.

His brain screamed " _no_!" but his heart shrieked " _DO IT_!"

 

Sam chose to follow his heart. 

He pressed his lips firmly against Gabe's. Sam instantly tasted the cherry filling on his lips. Sam pulled him closer, and in a quick moment, Gabe was up on his lap. He wrapped his arms around Sam. The two boys shared cherry-flavored kisses until they were breathless and flustered.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey! Sorry it's been a while with the updating and stuff. I've got school and family stuff going on. Yes, I know, it's surprising that I actually have a life outside of fanfiction. I'm also proud to say that I'm a new member of the Sherlock fandom! I'm so excited, and John is beautiful. :)  
> Anyways, thanks for reading! I'll be posting again soon.  
> Also, I would like to thank all the people who have gave kudos and comments on this story! 
> 
> Please add kudos and leave comments or helpful suggestions! Thank you so much! :)


	4. French Fries

Gabe slowly sat back, his hands gripping Sam's shoulders. Lowering his shimmering eyes, Gabe blushed. Sam gazed at Gabe.

"Well. That was surprising. I didn't expect you to actually listen to my teasing," Gabe commented, breaking the silence.

He laughed nervously, and looked away, biting his lip. He smoothed back his hair slowly.

 _How is he so amazingly cute?_ Sam asked himself.

Sam's hands rested on Gabe's hips, and he slowly traced the soft red fabric of Gabe's t-shirt with his thumbs.

"But I'm perfectly okay with it," Gabe whispered.

Sam dropped his eyes to Gabe's lips.

"Can I kiss you again?" He asked.

"Oh gosh, yes," Gabe breathed.

Sam leaned forward, and he pressed his lips to Gabe's. They kissed slowly, Gabe casually slinging his arms over Sam's broad shoulders. One of Sam's hands moved to Gabe's upper back, and the other lowered a little, lingering at the waistband of Gabe's jeans.

Gabe made a small, happy noise as the two boys kissed. Their kissing progressed, getting quicker and more longing.

Gabe paused.

"No. No. I can't, Sam. This is wrong. We can't be doing this," he blurted. "What if our brothers see us?"

 _He's right. What is Dean finds out? You've never even said to Dean that you're kind of interested in guys,_ Sam told himself.

Sam frowned. His eyes shifted to the living room window, and he chewed lightly on his bottom lip. He let out a breath, looking back at the beautiful boy sitting in his lap.

"I suppose you're right," Sam admitted. Gabe shyly got off of Sam, blushing crimson. "Sorry. I shouldn't of done that."

"I... it's okay," Gabe stammered. "It's just that.... I've never been with a guy before, and, you know, those kisses were better than any other I've ever had."

Sam grinned, dropping his gaze.

"Right," he said.

He stood, towering over the short sophomore.

"I should go," Gabe said, hesitating.

Sam cleared his throat, shifting on his feet. His hands shoved themselves deep into his jeans pockets.

Gabe paused, and went up to Sam.

"I wouldn't mind giving us a chance. But I can't right now," Gabe whispered. He reached out and took Sam's larger hands, drawing them out of his pockets. "I can't have other people finding out about this, either."

"Okay," Sam agreed, but he felt disappointed.

He didn't regret anything that happened. He just felt a little upset that Gabe didn't want to be with him.

Gabe loosened his grip on Sam's hands.

"One more kiss- for the night?" Gabe asked, staring up into Sam's puppy-dog eyes.

Sam smiled slightly, and kissed Gabe. Gabe wrapped his arms around Sam's neck, burying his hands in Sam's soft brown hair. Sam kissed him repeatedly. Gabe didn't pull away, or refuse. Sam was happy that he didn't. He loved the faint sweet taste of candy on Gabe's lips.

Gabe slowly broke away, but their faces were remained inches apart. Sam rested his forehead against Gabe's, and he stared into Gabe's golden eyes. Gabe smiled slightly, his nose brushing lightly against Sam's.

"You may be lucky enough to see me again, Moose," Gabe whispered, his breath misting against Sam's cheek.

"I'll be waiting, Gabe," Sam said softly.

***

Dean watched Sam follow Gabe out to the patio. He relaxed into the plush brown couch, and sighed blissfully, letting the fork slide through his lips as he began to eat his cherry pie.

Cas seemed tense, and he stared at the TV.

 _Don't stare at that fork sliding through his beautiful plump pink lips_ , Cas told himself repeatedly.

Dean looked at him. Their eyes met, and Cas shifted awkwardly in his seat. He cleared his throat.

"So you have a guitar, right?" Cas asked.

"Yeah," Dean said. He clicked off the TV, and sat up. The couch creaked. "You wanna see it?"

"Sure!" Cas seemed a little excited.

Dean got up, gripping his plate of pie, and walked up the stairs. Cas followed suit. Dean opened the wooden door to his room, and Cas slowly drifted in. He gazed around, grinning.

 _Dean's room is pretty awesome_ , he thought.

Dean had red painted walls, and there was posters of rock bands strewn all over them. There was a large desk, and two large tool boxes sitting under it.

Cas took everything in.

Dean's voice jerked him out of his observations.

"Have a seat," Dean said, gesturing to the bed with covers darker than night.

Cas sank down onto the soft bed, and sighed. He gazed up to see Dean's back, for Dean was digging through his closet. Dean bent over to reach for something, and Cas couldn't help but stare at his perfectly rounded ass. His butt looked amazing in those jeans.

Cas licked his dry lips, and forced his eyes to look away. Dean exited his closet, pulling out a polished, cherry-oak guitar.

Cas gasped in excitement.

"Can you teach me how to play?!" He exclaimed.

Dean grinned casually.

"Sure, dude," he said, handing Cas the guitar.

Cas held it awkwardly.

"Uh, Dean," he said gruffly. "I have no idea how to hold this."

"Oh. Well, okay," Dean said. "Just be careful. It was my mom's guitar."

He stared at it with a distant happiness.

Dean got behind Cas, and adjusted his arms. Cas's heart pounded when he could feel Dean's light breath on his neck, and he felt the subtle brush of Dean's chest against his upper back.

He shivered when Dean put his hand on the inside of both of his arms.

 _Oh jeez. Try not to think about him standing so close to you,_ Cas's mind murmured.

Dean must've noticed Cas tense up, because he froze up too.

"Uh, right," Dean said, clearing his throat as he stepped away. Cas paused for a moment, forgetting about the guitar.

Then he remembered something.

"Hey, aren't you in PreCalc?" Cas asked. "With Mrs. Friedman?"

"Yeah, so?" Dean asked, looking at Cas with a confused look. "Wait, are you in my class?"

"Yes, I am. I sit in the way back. Do you know that there's a test on Friday and she's expecting you to take it?" Cas asked.

"Oh, shit. No, I didn't," Dean admitted. "Dammit. Cas, are you good at math?"

"If you mean 'Cas, do you have a hundred in that class,' I would respond yes," Cas said simply. "I could help you study, of course."

"Yeah, sure," Dean said casually. "I'd like that. Thanks for telling me, too, Cas."

"Yeah, you're welcome. Um, how's Wednesday, at four?" Cas asked.

"That sounds good," Dean said. A thought echoed in Cas's mind.

_Study date? Good idea, Cas._

He had never felt so pleased with himself before.

***

Cas couldn't wait for Wednesday. And when it came, he was ecstatic. He made sure he showered right when he got home from school and everything. He even dressed up sort of nicely.

 _A simple, nice clean t-shirt and jeans in fine,_ he told himself.

At the Winchester house, Dean was shoving his math book into his backpack. Sam came into the living room, munching on an apple.

 _Hmm... he seems more nicely dressed than usual,_ Sam observed.

"Where are you going?" Sam asked.

"Cas's house, to study," Dean grunted, managing to zip the backpack shut.

Sam nearly choked on his apple.

"Can I come?!" Sam exclaimed.

"Why? I want you to stay home and watch for Dad," Dean said.

Their father still hasn't returned from the two days previous.

"Please, Dean?" Sam begged.

Dean sighed, exasperated.

 _Why is he so eager?_ Dean thought.

"Fine," he said in defeat. "But hurry up!"

"Yes!" Sam hissed to himself quietly as he hurried off to get ready.

***

They arrived fifteen minutes after four. The house was huge. Dean stared up at it.

Sam excitedly got out, longing to see Gabe.

He hurried up to the door, and knocked. Gabe answered after a few seconds. His eyes widened when he saw Sam. His knuckles turned white as he gripped the doorknob.

"Moose?" He asked, shocked.

"Yeah, hey. My brother's here to study with Cas and I decided to come too. Mind if I hung out with you?" Sam asked.

"No, I don't mind," Gabe managed to get out.

"Gabe, let them in," a woman's voice called.

Gabe winced, and opened the door.

"Come on in," Gabe said.

Sam and Dean stepped in, and took in the amazing house in front of them. Shimmering chandeliers hung from the ceiling, and there was many balconies.

A woman with shoulder-length blond hair walked up with a smile. She wore a string of pearls around her neck.

"Hi! I'm Becky," she said happily. "I'm Chuck's wife."

"Speaking of which, where is Chuck?" Gabe asked, turning to Becky.

"I think he's up in his study, working on his book," she said.

Gabe nodded.

"Oh. Okay," Gabe said.

Becky turned to Dean.

"Well, Cas is up in his room. Go up two flights on that staircase, and go down the hall. It's the second door on the left," Becky said, gesturing to a grand staircase that spiralled up.

Dean gazed up.

"Okay, cool. This is a really awesome house, Becky," he said, and began heading towards the stairs.

"Oh, thank you, Dean. Let me know if you boys need any snacks!" She called after him.

Sam turned to Gabe.

"So, what do you want to do?" Sam asked.

Gabe got a little shifty-eyed.

"I don't know, Moose," he murmured.

Sam sighed, smoothing his hair back.

 _I think I might've screwed up,_ Sam thought. 

"Sorry for coming without invitation," he apologized.

Gabe's eyes widened.

"Oh, no! It's okay," Gabe rushed out. "I just didn't expect to be seeing you outside of school again so quickly. Do you want to go up to my room?"

"Sure." Sam shrugged.

The two boys headed up the stairs. Sam walked into Gabe's room, and looked around. Everything was polished wood, the bed had a yellow, orange, and red patterned cover. The red carpet was plush beneath Sam's feet.

 _Wow. Nice room,_ Sam thought.

Gabe bit his lip.

"You mind closing the door?" Gabe asked.

Sam closed it hurriedly, and sat down in a wooden chair. Gabe shifted nervously.

"Dude, relax. It's your own house, and it's just me," Sam said in a friendly voice.

Gabe glanced at him, his golden eyes flickering.

"Yeah, but it's you that's making me nervous. I mean, from the other day, you just seemed to get more handsome, my Samwich," Gabe said, the nervous look disappearing, and replaced with a smirk.

Sam blushed, and laughed. He smiled at Gabe.

"You're a special kind of special, aren't you, Gabe?" He asked, standing up.

Gabe gave a joyful, beautiful laugh.

 _He's amazing_ , San thought randomly.

"Yeah, You got that right, Sam-tastic," he joked lightly.

Sam strolled forward, and Gabe felt a little cornered up against the wall. He drew his arms close, feeling slightly insecure. 

"Well, let's make good use of our time," Sam said smoothly, getting closer to the sophomore.

Gabe backed up against the wall, until they were inches apart. Gabe grinned as Sam put his hands on Gabe's hips, and ran his hands up slowly. Gabe let his hands slide up Sam's chest and to his shoulders.

Gabe paused, unknowingly licking his lips.

"We could have a little fun while you're here," Gabe purred happily, and pulled Sam's head down using his jacket collar.

Sam grinned in retaliation.

***

Dean sat, angrily groaning. He hated PreCalc. He could never get the right answer, even if he tried really hard.

But Cas was pretty distracting, too. His deep voice was so soothing and sounded like silk. And every time Dean looked up, Cas's pretty face and pretty milky skin and pretty blue eyes and pretty pink lips would be inches from his face.

Dean broke out in a nervous sweat.

_Oh, sweet mother of God._

"Okay, Dean, try number forty-seven," Cas suggested.

Dean struggled through it. He chewed his lip, and showed Cas the problem. Cas sighed, resting his forehead on his hand.

"Dean, PreCalc is not hard," Cas huffed. "See, you add here and then subtract here, because the answer you get is 47, not 26. We've already gone through ten problems and you've managed to fail all of them."

Dean groaned.

 _Maybe it's because he's distracting you_ , his mind mocked.

"Why do you make it seem so easy?" He asked stubbornly. 

Then anger washed over him again as he sat back. Then he threw his hands up in the air.

"You know what? I'm done with math. I don't care if I fail. I just want a burger and fries."

Dean stood, and tugged on his jacket.

"But, Dean, I don't want you to fail," Cas whined.

Dean grinned, gazing at Cas.

"Why are you so concerned about me?" Dean asked playfully.

Cas wanted to blurt "' _cause I think I really like you,_ " but he couldn't say that!

Dean crossed the room to the door, and opened it.

He gazed back at Cas.

"Are you coming?"

Cas eagerly rushed after him.

***

The two boys arrived at the diner in five minutes, and slid into their usual booth. The woman from the other day walked up.

"Didn't I just see you two a few days ago?" She asked, her eyes twinkling.

"Yeah. But Ellen, you should expect us more. Gabe and I, we're practically family to you!" Cas exclaimed.

Ellen smiled.

 _Or maybe she should expect us more because I'm hopefully going to be dating Dean... possibly_ , Cas thought.

He shook that thought away.

"Of course, Castiel. Now may I take your order?" She asked.

"Yes, I'll just have a medium fries and a vanilla shake, please," Cas said, his eyes flickering between the thick pages of the menu.

"And I'll have a bacon cheeseburger, and fries," Dean said, and grinned happily at the thought of food.

"Alright, boys, I'll be back soon," Ellen said, and she left to go to the kitchen.

Dean let his eyes flit to Cas.

"So, what are your friends like?" Dean asked.

"Oh. Um, well there's Charlie, who's my best friend. She's really nerdy, and a strong fangirl. She can hack into anything," Cas explained, smiling at the thought of his wild, cherry-haired best friend.

Dean grinned.

"Then there's Jo, who works here. She's real cool, and really likes rock songs."

"She does sound pretty cool," Dean commented.

Cas smiled, nodding. 

"Yeah. Her mom's Ellen, and she always hangs out with Ash, who's pretty hardcore rock himself. He has a mullet and likes to wear leather. Then there's Kevin, and Balthazar. Kevin's really intelligent, and quiet. He likes to predict things that will happen and they usually come true. We all believe Kevin has some mystical power. Balthazar is pretty chill, but he can be rude and obnoxious. He will make things awkward; if you ever meet him. He has a really strong accent. He also lives in the kid's home like me, so he and Charlie I know best out of all of my friends."

"Oh. Cool. Your friends sound pretty awesome," Dean said.

"They are truly. They're like family," Cas beamed.

Then he paused.

"So why did Sam come along with you, to my house?"

"I dunno," Dean said with a shrug. "Maybe he's become friends with Gabriel."

"Yeah, maybe," Cas murmured.

He had other thoughts of what could be forming between those two boys, but it wasn't his business.

"Gabriel needs some decent friends anyways, all the ones he has have failed their classes because they're to busy pranking people."

Dean gave a laugh.

Ellen came back with their food, and Dean's face lit up, and he dug in.

Cas mouthed a "thanks" to Ellen.

She nodded, and smiled.

"Go get him, tiger," she whispered.

Cas's mouth fell open, and she grinned at him. Then she left them to their food.

 _I shouldn't try too hard. I don't even know if Dean likes guys. I should be subtle,_ Cas thought.

"So, Dean, what team do you play for?" Cas randomly asked, not being exactly subtle.

Dean coughed on his fry.

"What?! Team?!" He choked.

He cleared his throat, and gave Cas an incredulous look.

 _What the fuck? Does he mean sports, or the other?!_ Dean's mind yelled. _Is he crazy?!_

"Yes, Dean. Your sexuality."

"Wow, Cas, you have some nerve. You just don't ask people what their sexuality is."

"Oh," Cas murmured.

 _Crap. Why did I even ask that?That was random, and embarrassing. Why do I always fuck up?_ He thought.

Dean played it cool, and shrugged.

"But other than that, I don't know. I mean, some guys can be attractive. I'd never admit that to anyone else, especially not my dad. But girls will always be my focus," Dean said with a easy smile, trying to hint to Cas that he didn't mind the weird outburst.

Cas gazed at his plate.

"Do you think I'm, as you say, 'attractive?'" Cas asked.

Dean turned bright red, and stared at Cas, chewing slowly on French fries. He studied Cas's strong jaw line, his slightly stubbly chin, and his messy dark brown hair.

 _Oh, jeez. Do I lie...? No, tell him the truth_ , Dean thought.

"Yeah," he managed to get out. "You're pretty good looking... uh, for a guy."

Cas beamed, feeling a ton happier.

"I'm glad you believe that, Dean," he said as he finished his meal with a slurp of his milkshake.

Dean smiled nervously as he stood to go throw his trash away. Cas followed after him. Both of them climbed into the Impala. The two boys sat in silence for a moment.

"Dean?"

"Yes, Cas?" Dean asked.

"Do you think that could've been our first date?" Cas wondered aloud.

Dean froze up. He stuttered a moment.

"Um. That only depends on if you're interested in me and I'm interested in you," Dean said.

"Well, are you? Interested in me, I mean," Cas demanded.

Dean was speechless.

"Well... I....." Dean's mouth words but no sound came out.

Cas looked sad.

"It's okay. I rushed it, didn't I? Or I seemed too eager. Or you don't like me at all," Cas murmured.

He began to open the car door to quickly get out of the really awkward, one-sided conversation.

"Wait, Cas, stop," Dean said firmly.

Cas paused.

"You did nothing wrong. I- I just don't know."

Cas plopped into the leather car seat, and faced Dean.

"What do you mean?" Cas asked, tilting his head.

Dean bit his lip, staring at the dashboard. His thumbs traced the lines on the steering wheel.

"I just... don't know exactly. I mean, sure, I would love to be with you, but-"

"You like someone else?" Cas blurted suddenly.

Dean had a pained look on his face.

"Uh... yes, and no," Dean murmured.

 _What does that mean?_ Cas wondered.

"It's my dad," Dean said after a moment of complete silence.

"Huh," Cas breathed. "What about him?"

"He doesn't like... um, homosexuality," Dean whispered, clearing his throat awkwardly.

"Oh. Right. So you don't want to be with me because you're afraid of what your dad says?!" Cas demanded, his blue eyes flashing.

"No, Cas, I-"

"Just start the car and go, Dean!" Cas snapped suddenly.

Dean fell absolutely silent.

Cas had his arms tightly crossed, and his body was tense.

He regretted yelling at Dean instantly, but he stayed quiet.

 _Dean should apologize instead, I'm sure,_ Cas thought bitterly.

Dean jammed the keys into the ignition, and started the car. He pulled out of the diner's parking lot slowly, and drove to Cas's house.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, it's been a while since I've posted, but here you go! I would expect the next chapter to be up maybe Saturday. Thank you to all the people who left kudos! I love you all! :)


	5. Disguise

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey my lovelies! I was able to log in FINALLY. I'm so happy! It's gonna be a while 'til I update again, so I gave you all an extra long chapter!  
> Enjoy! :D

Gabe was breathing hard as Sam kissed him over and over.

Sam always loved the taste of Gabe's lips. It drove him crazy.

He had Gabe pressed firmly to the wall. Gabe was making little noises and it was driving Sam up the walls. He ran his hand up Gabe's leg, and slowly lifted it up around his own waist.

Gabe got the hint, and literally jumped on Sam, wrapping his legs tightly around him.

Sam stumbled back slightly.

 _Holy crap_ , Sam thought. Then he scolded himself in his mind. _Get it together, Sam._

His heart pounded as Gabe slipped his hands up into Sam's shirt and dragged his fingers across the bare skin of Sam's back.

Sam sat down on the bed, groaning as Gabe straddled him. They kissed feverishly, Gabe nipping at Sam's lips. Sam tilted his head up, smiling into Gabe's kiss.

Gabe paused, and drew away abruptly. Sam made a whine, missing the presence of Gabe's lips.

"What is it?" Sam asked, concerned.

Gabe's golden eyes flickered to the balcony door.

"C-can I show you something?" He stuttered.

Sam stared at Gabe, who was blushing slightly. Gabe's chest was still rising and falling heavily.

"Sure. What is it?"

 _He almost looks nervous... Why?_ Sam's mind wondered. 

"Follow me," Gabe said, getting up.

He slowly walked to the balcony door, his bare feet trailing against the carpet. He opened the door, and went out. Sam followed eagerly, wondering what Gabe was going to show him.

He walked out, and sucked in a breath. The view was stunning. He could see the city lit up in the distance.

"Wow. This is amazing." Sam said his thoughts out loud.

Gabe grinned.

"Yeah. Just wait."

Sam turned to him. Gabe was leaning against the dark railing of the balcony, his back to the stunning view. 

"So what were you going to show me?" He asked.

Gabe blushed, and gripped at the bottom of his shirt.

He lifted it up, and Sam tried to focus as Gabe tossed it away. He tried not to stare at Gabe's bare skin. His chest was muscular, but not too much. He did have a small little bit of a belly, but Sam didn't mind.

_He's gorgeous._

Gabe turned to the railing, and his back faced Sam. His knuckles were white as he gripped it.

Sam waited.

"Gabe, are you going to sho-?!"

Massive wings spread from Gabe's back.

Sam stared, backing away, his mouth gaping open. He bumped into the door.

There were three pairs of wings, and they were the most beautiful golden color. They got darker in color as they neared his back.

Gabe breathed a sigh of relief, stretching. The muscles in back slowly worked, and Sam stared, his mouth going horribly dry.

He didn't notice that he slid his tongue through his lips and wet them.

 _Oh my God, oh my God,_ Sam thought repeatedly. He'd never seen anything like this before. _They're beautiful._

"Gabe... wow," Sam gasped out. Gabe ducked his head. "No offense, but what are you?!"

Gabe laughed.

"I'm an angel. Well, archangel," he corrected with a shrug.

His wings fluttered wildly when he did so. Sam slowly drifted up.

"They're are absolutely amazing. They match your eyes," he whispered.

Gabe blushed, embarrassed.

"Yeah, I suppose," he said hesitantly.

The feathers looked incredibly soft. Sam was itching to reach out and feel them.

"Sam?"

"Yeah?" Sam asked, snapping out of his trance of staring at the dazzling wings.

They shone in the light of the moon.

"If you want to pet them, you can," Gabe said uneasily. 

Sam reached forward, his body tingling in excitement. He slowly brushed his hand against the middle of a wing.

Gabe sighed.

"Wow. That feels kind of good," he said, hesitating.

"You mean you've never let anyone touch your wings?" Sam asked, curious.

He repetitively ran his gentle hand over the shining feathers.

"Well, yes, but no one actually human. Cas helps me groom them a bit, but his touch doesn't have any affect on me anywhere," Gabe said.

 _So is he saying I have an affect on him?_ Sam felt himself smirk.

"Well, maybe it's just me," Sam joked lightly.

Gabe laughed nervously.

Sam noticed that the darker the feathers were, the softer they got. He moved over, and reached out to stroke the darkest spot.

_Woah. These are so freaking soft._

Gabe gasped suddenly, and lowered his head. He gave out a low groan, tipping his head back.

"Fuck," Sam heard Gabe breathe.

Sam felt a shiver run up his arms.

"Gabe?" Sam whispered, concerned.

"Uh, um, yeah?" Gabe said, his voice a little husky.

Sam blinked.

"What happened?" He asked.

"I... uh, nothing. That just felt amazing. A little too amazing," Gabe gasped hoarsely, his chest heaving.

"You mean this?" Sam stroked the dark spot fiercely.

Gabe moaned softly, his wings giving an appreciative flutter. He then turned bright red.

"Okay, okay, enough of that," Gabe said hurriedly, letting his wings flip in and fold.

Sam pouted, hiding a smirk. 

"Maybe I like your wings," he whined slightly.

He longed to keep petting the dark, sensitive spot, and make Gabe weak under his touch.

"Well, I don't like you touching me there. It's weird," Gabe said briskly, crossing his arms.

Sam let his smirk show. 

 _Liar,_ he thought.

"No way. You like it," Sam corrected.

Gabe stuck his tongue out at Sam. He fell silent for a second, as he gripped the railing with one hand.

"Okay, but you do too," Gabe said in defense.

Sam laughed lightly, and walked forward.

"I'll admit it was hot," he said with a shrug. 

Gabe bit his lip, staring up at Sam with his shimmering eyes.

Sam looped his arms around Gabe's bare waist, and pulled the boy up against him.

Sam smirked.

"Anything else you're hiding from me?" Sam whispered.

Gabe gave a roll of his eyes.

***

Dean's head hurt after he dropped off Cas and went to pick up Sam.

He had had enough action for that night.

Little did Dean or Cas know, but Sam and Gabe shared a chaste kiss before Sam left.

Gabe smiled, brushing Sam's long brown hair away from his face.

"You shouldn't hide those beautiful hazel eyes from me, Sam," Gabe purred sweetly, resting his hands on Sam's shoulders.

A smile tugged at Sam's lips.

"Oh, so it's just Sam now, hmm? Are you getting sappy with me, my archangel?" Sam teased happily.

He'd only known Gabe for about three days, but Gabe made him so extremely happy, and he didn't understand why.

"Sure," Gabe flirted sweetly, dropping his hands from Sam's jacket-coated shoulders.

Sam smiled, taking Gabe's small hands in his, and resting his forehead against Gabe's, staring into his eyes.

"Well, then it's no use hiding those sparkling golden eyes from me, Gabe," Sam mocked.

Gabe blushed, and laughed.

He hated how he blushed so easily, and Sam being there wasn't helping.

"Sam, hurry up! What are you doing, anyways?!" Sam heard Dean call harshly, as well as Dean's loud footsteps against the wooden floor, getting closer.

"Oh, shoot," Sam hissed, letting go of Gabe's hands.

Gabe frowned, seeming disappointed that Sam had to go. He hesitated, and threw his arms quickly around Sam, hugging him tightly.

Sam grinned, and hugged Gabe back.

Then Gabe slipped away, disappearing up the stairs.

Dean walked into the room, raising his eyebrows and looking a little angry.

"Are you ready yet?" Dean asked impatiently.

Sam cleared his throat.

"Oh. Uh, yeah," Sam stuttered.

Dean nodded, and turned to leave out the patterned wooden doors that led outside.

He began stiffly walking down the path to go outside. Sam hurried after, his hair flying in the chilly air.

The sky was a black blanket sown with stars. It was quiet outside.

"Did you say goodbye to Cas?" Sam questioned.

He could see a look of sorrow appear on Dean's face, and Sam bit his lip.

 _What in the world happened?_ Sam instantly thought.

"Yes, I did. Why does that matter?" Dean said, slightly snapping.

Sam approached the Impala, and slid into the seat, wincing. Dean stepped in, and lowered himself onto the leather seat. 

"It doesn't matter," Sam commented like he didn't care."I was just wondering."

Dean seemed relieved that there was going to be no more questions.

"Oh. So what'd you do with Gabriel?" Dean asked.

Sam made a harrumph.

"First, it's Gabe, he prefers that, and we, um... played video games," Sam fibbed lightly.

Dean raised his eyebrows again.

Sam felt a little bad for lying to Dean, but not really. Lying was worth it based on what happened.

Yeah, _"video games"_ was more like _"talking, flirting, kissing and petting Gabe's wings."_

That was the only thing that stuck in his mind, though; Gabe's wings. How the feathers were so absolutely soft like silk, and the beautiful golden color sparkled in the moonlight. He couldn't believe that Gabe trusted him enough to show him.

Then he thought about the dark spot that was on the back of his wings. He remembered Gabriel's reaction.

 _Why did he do that?_ Sam wondered. _Is it some spot that feels better than the rest?_

But anyways, Sam loved almost everything about Gabe.

"Oh. Sounds fun," Dean commented.

Sam smiled to himself as they pulled into the driveway of their house.

"It was," he said happily.

***

Dean was pretty nervous when he woke the next day.

He wasn't too eager to get to school and see Cas. He felt bad not telling Sam about what happened with Cas, but he ignored the feeling, and got out of bed.

He hurriedly showered after stripping down, and stepped out of the steaming shower. He yawned, and dressed in his usual five million layers of clothes, not forgetting the flannel.

 _I wonder what will happen if I see him. He'll probably ignore me,_ Dean thought. _It's no use trying to get his attention._

He heard movements down in the kitchen. He left his room, and peered down the banister.

In the living room, he could see his father sitting on the white couch, rubbing his eyes sleepily. Dean swallowed, and made his way down the stairs.

"You're home," Dean said hesitantly.

John reached forward to a shining silver beer can sitting on the coffee table, and took a swig.

"Yup. I am," John said in his gravelly voice.

His salt-and-pepper hair was wild and he looked disheveled; like he hadn't showered in days.

Dean watched him loosely tie his old brown robe and get up.

Dean turned to his right, and eyed Sam, who was sitting at the breakfast table, smiling and rapidly texting on his beat-up phone, his thumbs flying.

Dean watched. It wasn't often that he saw Sam on his phone.

Sam laughed suddenly, and sat back. He noticed Dean in the corner of his eye, and lifted his head. His smile dropped quickly.

"What?" He asked, raising a slim brown eyebrow.

"Nothing. I was just wondering who you were texting," Dean replied nonchalantly.

Sam let Bitchface #72 slide onto his face.

"Is it any of your business?" Sam questioned with attitude.

"No, not really. Is it your girlfriend?" Dean teased, rolling his eyes playfully.

Sam turned bright red, averting his eyes.

He cleared his throat and said, "Uh, no. Not really."

"Oh really? What's her name?" Dean insisted.

He rested his hands on the wooden dining table and lowered himself into a seat.

Sam didn't say a word, and the phone buzzed again.

"Come on, is she cute?" Dean prompted, trying to peer around Sam's large hands to see what the phone screen read.

Sam's face flushed, and his eyes narrowed.

"Maybe I'm not texting a girl, asshole!" He said fiercely.

He slammed his hands on the table and stood up forcefully. Dean sat back, his green eyes wide. Sam stalked off stiffly.

Dean frowned, chewing thoughtfully at his lower lip.

 _What's his problem?_ His mind questioned.

***

Sam didn't talk to Dean at all while Dean drove to school in the Impala. His fingers traced the stitching of his jeans, and he stared out the window.

Dean sighed.

"Look, Sam, I don't know why you snapped at me earlier, but I'm sor-"

"Just- stop. I'm sorry your life is so boring that you have to try and butt into mine. Just back off," Sam warned.

Dean pulled over and abruptly stopped the car.

Sam leaned forwards slightly, feeling the car jolt. His lips were set in a grim line, and his jaw was tense.

"What is your problem?!" Dean exclaimed, whipping his head towards Sam.

 _God. I wish he would just drop it and leave it_ , Sam thought.

He crossed his arms, and refused to speak.

"I don't care, then! I don't care who you were texting!" Dean growled.

"Thank God! I don't know why that was such a problem!" Sam yelled gratefully.

"Well, dude, seriously? Why is it such a problem?! I don't care whether it was a guy or a girl!" Dean said.

"It's a problem because I have a right to personal space, Dean," Sam said in a slightly steely voice.

"Right. Says the one who questioned the hell out of me last night!" Dean cried, throwing his hands up and slamming them down of the steering wheel.

Sam gave a loud, huffy sigh.

"It's Gabe," Sam stated. "That's all I'm saying."

"What? Cas's brother? So you like him?" Dean asked, starting the car up again, the keys in the ignition jangling.

Sam turned his head to Dean and glared.

"Of course not, jerk," Sam lied easily, pretending to still be pissed.

Dean pulled back out into traffic, and leaned back, gripping the wheel.

"Bitch," Dean scoffed, and a smirk twitched onto his lips.

***

Sam hurried into his first hour, Honors English. He loved English, but there was no one to talk to. All of the other people were jocks and stupid idiots. Sam never talked to those types of people.

He opened the wooden door, and stepped in.

He gasped audibly.

There stood Gabe, with his back towards Sam. He was chatting with the teacher, Mr. Morrison.

Sam froze up, and hurried past the two, hoping Gabe wouldn't notice him.

He slipped into his desk, shivering. His seat was cold.

He watched Gabe look over. He swallowed nervously and dropped his eyes. Sam fidgeted with the button on his blue and white plaid sleeve.

Gabe strut over, wearing a sly smirk as he twisted the white lollipop stick in his mouth. He drew the red lollipop out slowly, almost provocatively. Sam couldn't help but stare. 

"Hello, Moose," Gabe said with a grin. Sam felt himself get quickly nervous.

"Uh, hello," he said awkwardly. "Why're you here?"

"I just found that regular English was probably too easy for me. And now I'm thinking that I made the right choice," he said. 

"Oh." 

Sam's cheeks burned. 

Gabe turned to the front of the room, after giving Sam a suggestive wink.

There was a small laugh coming from the person behind him.

He turned to give them a skeptical look, but then froze.

Behind him was a stunning girl, with dirty blond curls cascading down her shoulders. She smiled at him, her beautiful pink lips spreading.

"What?" She asked pleasantly, using her tanned hands to fix her hair.

 _Woah. Never seen her before_.

"Uh. Why were you laughing?" Sam questioned.

She seemed to think, staring at him with her warm brown eyes.

"I don't know. Just you two. Are you really good friends?" She asked, glancing at Gabe.

Sam bit his lip nervously, not sure what to answer. He cleared his throat, watching the girl.

"Uhm, yeah, we're friends," Sam responded.

The girl smiled.

"I could tell."

"How?" Sam said, giving her a quizzical look.

He turned in his desk just a little, rearranging his legs to face her a little better.

"Well, some one who isn't your friend wouldn't suggestively, jokingly wink like that," she said.

Then a look passed her face, and she lowered her chin, and raised her eyebrow. She gave a smile. 

"Unless he isn't your friend- something more, maybe?"

Sam felt himself grow hot. He struggled to speak for a moment.

"Uh. No, no, we're just friends," Sam said hurriedly.

With benefits, his mind added. He shook his head to clear that thought. 

"Oh. I see. Okay. Well, I'm Jess," she said, sticking her hand forward.

Sam shook her hand, studying her. She looked like a surfer. With her sun bleached hair and tanned skin, she could've been mistaken for one.

 _She's pretty_.

"S-Sam. I'm Sam," he stuttered.

Jess leaned forward, and rested her chin in her hand, tipping her head up a little. She smiled, blinking up at him with her long eyelashes.

"Well, Sam. Nice to meet you," she said sweetly.

Sam swallowed.

"Yeah," he breathed.

***

Dean always loved lunch. Sitting at an awesome table with amazing people who were always laughing felt great. Especially sitting with Lisa, who was always around him now. It was a morale booster to have a hot girl nearly attached to him on the hip.

Crowley and his girl, whose name was Meg, were great company, as well as Ruby and the few others that sat at the table.

Crowley would talk about football a lot. Dean would always listen with interest.

He couldn't help but secretly admit to himself that he wanted to play, but he would never get the chance that year, since he was a senior, and the team was full.

"...so I just jumped, almost five feet off the ground, no lie. And I intercepted it, and just took off down the field, running down the field. I could hear other players' feet behind me, but I kept running. I passed into that beautiful end zone, and I could hear the screaming from the crowds behind me."

Dean could hear Crowley talking about one of the team's recent games. He tuned into the conversation, and helped himself to the image of himself sprinting down the field, a leathery football nestled in the crook of his arm.

He smiled softly.

"-but now I'm pretty sure our whole fucking season is ruined because friggin' Azazel quit!" Crowley snapped. "He should've listened to his captain- _me_! We still have three games left!"

"What? There's a position open?" Dean asked, blinking out of his fantasy.

Crowley raised his cold eyes to Dean, and his lips curled into a smirk.

"Yes, there is. The quarterback position is open. Why? Are you interested?" Crowley drawled slowly.

Dean bit his lip.

 _Come on, say yes. You've been interested in playing for a while_ , Dean thought.

"Hell, yes, I'm interested. I'd love to play," Dean said.

Crowley raised his eyebrows, tilting his chin up slightly to study Dean.

"Well, there's try-outs in two days," he said.

Dean sat up. "Really?! What do I have to do?" Dean asked excitedly.

Crowley leaned forward, and whispered, "Show up, throw the ball around, act natural. I guess I might've found a better replacement for Azazel."

Dean smiled appreciatively. 

***

Cas pointedly ignored Dean during Men's Choir. Cas was still slightly mad at Dean, mostly because Dean was refusing to be with him because of his own father! 

Dean sat down in his black chair in the Tenor 2 section, giving Cas a concerned gaze.

Mr. Shafer tapped his stand with a thin director's wand, and stared fondly up at the choir.

"Alright, take out Lux Aurumque, please," Mr. Shafer announced. "We're going to polish this up today, and start working on another song tomorrow. You'll have some time today to hang out, and catch up with your buddies."

He gave a smile as papers and music were shuffled around, and folders were closed.

Dean sighed impatiently.

 _Why's Cas so mad at me_? His mind thought.

He took a deep breath, and began to sing along with the music when Mr. Shafer cued the chorus in. 

He let the beautiful notes rumble in his chest, smiling softly.

Music had become a bit of his passion. He had begun to look forward to chorus, and he enjoyed Mr. Shafer's song choices.

He happily held the ending note, and sat down. The boys began to joke around, or sit back and watch Mr. Shafer. 

Mr. Shafer began to work with the separate voice parts, and Dean listened carefully to the bass's low purr.

He watched Cas sing joyously, smiling to his bass friends.

Dean sighed, wishing that Cas would look at him.

Mr. Shafer finished his work, shutting his black music folder with a snap.

"Alrighty, men, you can put your folders away and chat for the last fifteen or so minutes," Mr. Shafer announced, smiling up at the boys.

There was low noise as conversations started and guys got up to put to put their folders in their correct numbered slots.

Dean took a breath as Cas got up to rid himself of his folder.

He felt a swell of courage as he jumped from his seat, nearly knocking it over.

He dashed to the front of the room, and plugged the cordless electric guitar in.

Mr. Shafer looked at him, raising his blond eyebrow.

"I would like to do a little performance. Is that okay?" Dean asked.

Mr. Shafer smiled brightly.

"Well, I see you're becoming a little braver," Mr. Shafer said. "But go right ahead."

Dean grinned, and began, strumming.

The bright sound resonated throughout the room. He smiled, letting the music pour through his soul and light up his spirit.

 _Get it going, Dean_. _You can do it_.

"I'm tired of just talking," he sang boldly. "I want to get a move underway. I'm putting my thought in... I want to give all of my worries away."

Other members of the choir caught on, and brunet boy ran down and pulled a bass guitar out of nowhere, and a guy with cool dreadlocks jumped on a pair of large bongos.

They began to play along, while Dean continued to sing.

"Because they're still in my pocket... I want to empty my calendar days... let the feeling just spark it... starting to change." Dean let the beat move his body, and he began rocking to the music.

Heads turned, and he gazed at an astonished Cas, who stared at him.

"Being less guarded... and act like I've got it." Dean kept firm eye contact with Cas, passionately swaying.

"I'm putting my heart in!" He sang, tilting his head back and closing his eyes with a smile. "Just to give it away... we're trying our hardest... Yeah, we're trying our hardest- where would it go?!"

The boys began to get riled up, and started dancing when Dean started the chorus.

"No point to making plans... the wild life is human nature! We've got to take our chance! Try our best to keep it working!" Dean sang, tapping his foot against the ground and bobbing his head.

Cas stared in awe, making his way down to the front of the room.

"No point to making plans... the wild life is human nature! We've got to take our chance- try our best to keep it working!"

The boys danced enthusiastically between the seats, even Mr. Shafer bounced his head and tapped his foot.

" _Way, way. Way, way._..," the two boys echoed behind him.

"I'm tired of just talking- I want to get a move underway... I'm putting my thought in- and sending my worries out and I lock it- and act like I've got it. I'm putting my heart in, yeah! Just to give it away! We're trying our hardest... yeah, we're trying our hardest! Where would it go?!" Dean sang, his face screwing up with happiness.

He grinned broadly, preparing himself for the chorus.

Cas was staring at him in amazement.

"No point to making plans... the wild life is human nature! We've got to take our chance! Try our best to keep it working! No point to making plans... the wild life is human nature! We've got to take our chance! Try our best to keep it working!"

Dean danced as the the bassist and drummer sang behind him.

He jammed powerfully on the guitar, nearly skipping up to Cas. Cas smiled brightly, and Dean felt relieved as he played the instrumental. Dean began to move his shoulders back and forth to the beat, leaning close to Cas. Cas grinned, and mimicked Dean's movements, laughing happily.

He forgot all about Cas's anger at him, and Cas seemed to forget about it too.

The boys dancing began to clap as Dean, the brunet and the the guy with the dreadlocks dropped out. They clapped to the beat as Dean sang loudly.

"No point to making plans... the wild life is human nature! We've got to take our chance! Try our best to keep it working!"

The band jumped in, and Dean danced around Cas, playing the strings hard, and grinning brightly, his white teeth flashing.

Cas turned and his gaze excitedly followed wherever Dean went, rhythmically moving his body in a way that made Dean stare.

 _He looks amazing,_ Dean's mind whispered. _And so happy_.

"No point to making plans... the wild life is human nature! We've got to take our chance! Try our best to keep it working!" Dean ran back to the band, dancing and laughing.

" _Way... way... way... way... way, yeah, yeah, yeah! Way... way... way... way... way, yeah, yeah, yeah! Way, way._...," He echoed softly.

It ended with a quick note.

The boys cheered loudly and clapped, as Dean stood. He felt like his smile would break his face. His heart pounded with the exciting aftermath.

Cas ran up to him, like an adoring fan, with deep blue eyes sparkling.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There you have it! If you don't like the whole singing stuff, get over it because there's always more where that came from! :)  
> I'm so excited, I decided to incorporate the whole "angels" thing. It's gonna be fan-freaking-tabulous!  
> Also, please check out the song! It's one of my absolute favorites! It's "The Wild Life" by Vacationer.


	6. Goodbyes

Dean was anticipating the quarterback position try-outs. He couldn't even wait to practice, and toss the football around. He knew that Crowley wanted him to get the position, but it wasn't up to him to decide. It was the actual football coach, Mr. Whitmore, that chose who made the team. Crowley was just captain, and the representative of the team.

The try-outs day finally dawned on them, and Dean proudly walked onto the large field after school. It was surprisingly humid and bright for October. There was a small number of guys lined up at a large white foldable table. Dean's black Nike tennis shoes scuffled against the artificial turf. He joined a line, listening to the guys chat, and get signed in. Dean got to the front of the line, and stared down at the girl who was shuffling papers. She looked up, and then smiled. 

"Hi, Dean," Lisa said.

"Hey. Sign me up, please?" Dean asked, flashing a charming smile.

"Of course. Are you ready?" Lisa said to him as she wrote his name neatly on a clipboard. She was wearing a long-sleeved, tight blue and white cheerleading outfit. It read "LD" on the front in fancy calligraphy.

 _I never knew she was a cheerleader.... or did she mention that earlier and I forgot?_ Dean thought.

"Kinda. Mostly nervous," Dean said, gritting his teeth and glancing out at the open field. He looked back at her. "I didn't know you were a cheerleader."

Lisa gave him a warm smile.

"Oh, yeah. I'm the head cheerleader," she said happily. "And also, don't worry. I think you'll do excellent."

Dean grinned, and said, "Thanks."

"Yeah, no problem. Good luck!" She called after him as he began to walk to the bleachers.

He turned back, and gave her a reassuring smile. She sat, gazing after him.

 _Lisa's awesome. She's really nice. You should get with her_ , his mind suggested. _Yeah. I'll do it, right after I try out. Then we'll see if she's interested in me._

Dean slid onto a row of bleachers. There was a large-chested, muscular guy sitting right next to him.

Dean couldn't see his face.

"Hey, man, you trying out?" Dean asked.

The guy's head turned. He had very short, cropped brown hair, and warm blue eyes. Dean raised his eyebrows. He had expected a hard, tough face on this guy. But no, he got sweet eyes and a sharp-toothed grin.

"Nah, man. I'm already on the team. Just checking out the new recruits. I'm Benny Lafitte. I'm one of the wide receivers," the guy said.

"Nice to meet you. I'm Dean Winchester. I'm trying out for the uh, position," Dean said, extending his hand to the burly football player.

Their handshake was firm and brisk.

"Good luck, man. I hear there's lots of good players that are signed up today," Benny's gravelly voice whispered. Dean noticed he had a more Southern accent to his voice.

He chewed at his lip, and stared ahead at Crowley, who was slowly strolling up to the bleachers, flipping through a wooden clipboard with papers on it. Crowley's icy eyes looked up, as of he was inspecting the crowd of guys on the chilled bleachers.

Dean fell into a cold, nervous sweat, imagining what would happen.

_What if I fail? What if I get the position? Hell, if I got it, I would be pretty popular. And- the quarterback and head cheerleader together? We would totally be the most popular couple in school._

"Alright, boys.... who's ready to try out?!" Crowley announced.

Several guys cheered enthusiastically. Dean gazed out at him, rubbing his palms on his slick red gym shorts.

"Get up, boys! Let's get to it!" Crowley shouted, shifting his feet.

The guys got up, and made their way down to the field. They gathered around the fifty yard line, and Crowley walked over, a silver whistle tucked in his mouth. The strap hung loosely around his neck.

He took the whistle out of his mouth, and called, "Down, boys! 20 push-ups on my whistle!"

Dean dropped immediately, resting his sweating, thick palms against the scratchy turf. He shifted his legs carefully, and took a deep breath in.

The whistle tweeted.

 _One_.

Dean slowly lowered himself, feeling his muscles tighten and relax as he pushed himself upward. He gave a hasty breath out.

 _No problem_ , he thought.

Nineteen push-ups later, his cheeks were slightly pink from holding his breath in most of the time.

"Okay, boys, one minute break," Crowley said. "Then on my whistle, thirty jumping jacks."

Dean rested, and Lisa suddenly hurried up, clutching something in her hand. Her skirt was bouncing up and down as she shoved it in his hands.

"Here," she said breathlessly. "It's the last one I could get from the cheerleader's storage room."

He stared down at the bottle of water in his hands, and pulled on his tight black sleeve of his shirt. He smiled at her, grateful.

"Thanks," he said softly.

"Yeah, no problem. I was wondering if after this was over, maybe you'd like to go out to somewhere?" She asked confidently.

 _Take a moment. Don't sound to eager. Just say yes casually_ , he reminded himself, even though he was bursting with happiness.

"Sure. I'd like that," he offered.

She beamed.

 _Wow, she's really pretty_ , Dean thought.

"Awesome. Good luck Dean. I know you'll get the position," she said.

He gazed fondly after her as she ran off. He cracked the plastic lid off the bottle and took a quick swig of the cool, sweet water. He gave a sigh as the whistle chirped.

"Thirty jumping jacks, boys! No cheating, or you will automatically get kicked out of try-outs! I want to see an actual jumping jack!" Crowley announced loudly and firmly.

Dean started doing his, counting quietly in his head. He made sure to stretch his arms high above his head, and to do the jumping jacks appropriately.

 _Twenty eight... twenty nine... thirty..._ , he thought, and stopped, panting slightly.

He watched Crowley observe two guys who were misbehaving (more like shoving each other to mess each other up) and then Crowley asked them not so politely to leave. They left grumpily. After their dismissal, there was only about fifteen guys left.

Dean could just feel the rivalry and competition between all the guys. They were all tall, and wiry.

He had no chance.

He was shorter, agile and muscular. He probably wouldn't get the position, even if Crowley rooted for him.

"You have a three minute break, boys, and then we're doing the forty yard dash," Crowley drawled.

Some guys groaned softly. Dean stretched, feeling the smooth fabric of his shirt slip and hitch up around his waist. It exposed a bit of his finely toned skin, and prominent hip bones. He could Lisa staring at him from the bleachers, chewing her lip.

 _Hot_. 

He blushed, and pulled his shirt down a bit.

_Don't let her get to you, Dean, he thought._

He grinned at her, and turned his head when he heard the whistle go off. He quickly took a swig of the refreshing water, and closed the lid on the bottle. He jogged lightly over to the track, and stood in front of Crowley as the other guys hurried over to listen to the instructions.

Crowley cleared his throat, and ordered, "I'm going to line you up on the track by last name, and you shall run as fast as you can to the cones down there."

He pointed to the opposite side of the track, where bright orange cones rested, marking the spot of where to stop. Dean took a breath.

"Then, the people who placed one through fourth on both rounds shall race," Crowley continued. "It's just a simple timing. Getting first will not ensure you a spot on the team, for sure."

He stopped shouting for a moment as he flipped through his clipboard. He pursed his lips, and spoke.

"Albert, on Lane One! Dylan on Lane Two! Elkhart on Lane Three! Jackson on Lane Four! Liams on Lane Five! Mill on Lane Six! Rochester on Lane Seven!"

Dean took a shaky breath.

 _Not me next, please_ , he thought.

"And Russ on Lane Eight!"

Dean sighed in relief. Not many of the boys moved as a few lined up. Crowley's face might as well turn purple.

"Well, hurry up and get on the bloody track!" He shouted, slamming his foot down on the turf.

A few of the boys scurried over, and stepped into their lanes. Dean watched.

"On my whistle!" Crowley called.

The boys got into their stances, and the whistle gave a sharp tweet. Feet pounded against the pavement as the group of guys raced. A towering, thin guy passed first. Dean hurriedly checked what lane he was in. Lane Five.

"Ah! Liams, Dylan, Albert and Rochester, good job! Rest up, you're racing again after this round. Alright. Lane One, Shaw! Lane Two, Swanson! Lane Three, Taft! Lane Four, Taylor! Lane Five, Vaughn! Lane Six, Winchester!" Crowley shouted, grinning and looking up at Dean.

Dean nervously smiled back, walking down onto the asphalt.

"And Lane Seven, Zeng!"

Dean stepped into his lane, tossing aside the water bottle carelessly. He felt the sun beat on his back as he gazed down at the cones. He heard the whistle chirp, and he sucked in a breath. And he ran with all of his might.

***

He didn't stop until he passed the cone. He heard Crowley's happy shout echo in his ears.

"Winchester, Taylor, Zeng and Shaw, wonderful! You've got five minutes to rest up!"

Dean's heart was bursting out of his chest. Lisa was cheering for him off the in the distance. He gave her a wave as he shielded his eyes from the blistering, persistent sun. He blinked, slowly walking back to pick up his water. He was panting.

 _Oh, God, what a rush,_ Dean thought tiredly.

The winner from the first round, Liams, jogged up. He was tall, and had slightly muscled arms. He had an older look to his face, but his dark eyes were lit and spiteful.

"Congratulations. Looks like you'll have a shot, kid," the guy said in a raspy voice.

Dean smiled uneasily.

"Thanks, man," Dean murmured. "Liams, right?"

"Yes. Alistair Liams," the guy said, looking proud to wear that name.

 _Weird name,_ Dean thought, trying not to smirk.

"And you are....?"

"Uh, Dean. Dean Winchester," Dean stuttered.

"Ah," Alistair breathed slightly.

Dean got mildly uncomfortable, feeling the guy's eyes sweep over him. He cleared his throat, and walked off, pulling at the fabric of his t-shirt that was sticking to him.

Football practice carried on, and Dean tried his absolute best. The passing and receiving part was pretty amusing; he hadn't done too bad on that. He had gotten second on the second round of the race, for Alistair had beat him. He remembered at the moment he almost passed the cones while in first place, Alistair had sprinted out of nowhere and passed him with a smirk. Smirks did not look good on that guy. Dean was slightly disappointed, but oh well. It was a race. He'd gotten over it pretty quickly.

***

 

Lisa came up to him after practice.

"Hey! Fantastic job!" She said happily.

He grinned and shuffled his feet. He was on the field, standing around while the rest of the guys finished their try outs.He was tired and sweaty, and felt a little self conscious. Lisa understood, though, she didn't mind that he probably smelled.

"Thanks," he said lightly, and he gazed towards the bleachers, where a few other students were sitting to watch the try outs.

He felt his mouth drop open when he saw the familiar trenchcoat wearing boy up on the shining silvery seats. He stared, his mouth going dry.

"Um," he stuttered out. "I'll be back, okay, Lisa?"

"Alright," she said.

He hurried off, and jogged quickly up the steps to Cas, who was perched on a seat. His nose was slightly scrunched up, and his head was tilted in its usual way.

"What're you doing here?" Dean asked curiously.

Cas blinked at him with his ocean blue eyes. They were so deep and dark around his pupils, he really had gorgeous eyes.

"You're trying out for the football team?"

Cas usually answered a question with another question. It was more in his nature. He always felt like it was better for other people to talk instead of him. He never really thought he was interesting, let alone captivating enough to hold a good conversation.

"Uh, yeah, I am. Why do you ask?" Dean said, fidgeting with his shorts. 

His hand balanced on the cool railing of the stairway. He gazed evenly at Cas with confused eyes.

"I was wondering. It didn't seem like you to always try and be the most noticed guy in the crowd, Dean," Cas said bluntly.

Dean looked taken aback. He seemed sort of hurt, and Cas felt bad inside. But, as usual, his mouth moved faster than his brain could register what he was saying.

"So is it that you like that Lisa girl? Is that it? Because I'm wondering if I didn't make a good enough partner for you. I thought you were interested in me. Are you not, Dean? Because right now you're looking pretty interested in getting into that popular girl's pants, and it's not exactly amusing to me," Cas said. "I was willing to give up my time for you Dean. I asked you if you were interested in me. But I suppose not. I came here because I noticed you. You were different and better than all the rest of them, and I bet you will get that position. I came because I was willing to support you. But now I'm noticing that maybe you're just trying to get this position to impress her. Why, Dean?"

Dean was standing silent, listening to Cas talk in a serious voice. He tried to laugh lightly to ease off the stress and tense feeling that hung in the air.

"Dude, I'm not doing this to impress her-"

"Then why? Because you would rather be popular than happy?" Cas interrupted.

"No! Because I love football. I've always wanted to play it. And you know what, Cas? I'm sorry... that I'm not so sorry. It may've seemed like I liked you, but I've got a date tonight... with Lisa. And if you don't agree with that.... then, well... you can just leave," Dean snapped.

Cas narrowed his eyes. Dean chewed at his lip. He really didn't want Cas to get mad again, that was never good. But unfortunately, he had angered him. A lot. 

"Well, Dean. I don't think we'd be very good partners anyways. Or even very good friends. You're not very nice, and you'd rather choose to be with a girl instead just because you're looking for your father's approval. Your father can go screw himself, and you can, too. I'm not offering up anything more to you. In fact, I'd like it if we didn't speak to each other much anymore," Cas said briskly.

His voice was straining hard; he didn't want it to break. He'd given up trying, honestly. He wanted to be with Dean for a while, but he'd screwed up. No. No. Dean had, not him. Dean had definetely screwed up, with his stupid, beautiful, green eyes and his low, smooth voice and kind, worn hands. Cas hated the fact that he'd devoted his whole time to try and impress this one stupid guy! He'd fallen head over heels for someone who'd leave his life forever in less than a year! What the hell was wrong with him?!

He felt his eyes water as he stood, his trenchcoat fluttering in the light breeze. He was hurt inside, his heart on the edge of breaking. He wanted to fly away.

He walked past Dean, and slowly drifted away.

He couldn't help but let out a feeble whisper of, "Bye, Dean," as he drifted away. It was not like Dean would ever hear him.

Dean gazed at him, his eyes echoing Cas's. He didn't mean to upset Cas. He didn't even really know what he did wrong. He just knew he messed up, and he would try his absolute hardest to gain at least a smidge of Cas's trust back.

***

The clock read 6:37, and Dean had not returned from... who knows? John was somewhere in the house, probably the kitchen, and Sam was lounging on one of the leathery white couches in the living room.

He couldn't help but feel bored. He'd completed all of his homework, and he honestly didn't know what to do. Then he remembered that Gabe had entered in his number on Sam's phone, with a lot of persistence. Sam had let him, only because he sort of enjoyed seeing the young, jubilant archangel beg. It was cute, seeing Gabe's usually playful honey eyes turn into something sweet and submissive.

He grinned to himself, remembering the days where he had met Gabe. He never really knew that he would ever get with Gabriel. He thought it would last forever.

He scrolled through his contacts, and pressed Gabe's number. He typed a quick message, his large, coarse thumbs dashing across the tiny keys.

**S: Hey, Gabe!**

**G: Hiya, Sam-a-lam.**

Sam smiled to himself, staring at his phone. The white screen reflected in his soft hazel eyes. He truly loved all of Gabe's pet names for him.

**S: What's up?**

**G: Nm, just on a date. ;)**

Sam suddenly felt his happy mood crash around his feet. He hoped deeply that Gabe was joking. After all that time? Did he really mean nothing to Gabe? He was lost. His thumbs quivered as he typed the next message slowly.

**S: What?**

**G: I'm on a date. You know, when two people like each other they do stuff together?**

**S: ....with who?**

**G: Her name's Kali. She's hawwwwt. And she also agreed to be my boo. Lol... <3 :D   
**

**S: Oh.**

His heart felt void of all emotion. He felt like chucking his phone at the wall, or maybe running upstairs and balling his eyes out. Or both? No. He shouldn't do that. John would wonder what was wrong, and he really didn't want his father digging into his personal business.

**G: Well, sorry. I've gotta go. See ya tomorrow, Sammy boy. ;)**

**S: Yeah, bye Gabriel.**

He shut off his phone with a quick click, and dropped his arms. His heart had sunk to the floor. He felt like doing absolutely nothing. He also just wanted to curl up and die.

Gabe had just used him.

He didn't really know what to feel. He felt a little angry inside. And hurt. Major hurt. What was he supposed to do? Go to school tomorrow and face the music?! God. He felt almost a small desire to try and find out who this "Kali" was. Why would Gabe be interested in a girl whose name sounded like the breed of dog?! A bitterness he'd never felt before stirred in the pit of his stomach.

....Was he jealous?!

He stood, and slipped his phone into his back pocket, ignoring the insistent feelings of hatred and loss. John peeked his head out from the kitchen.

"Sam, do you know where your brother is? I've been trying to call for for the last thirty minutes," John said gruffly.

Sam shook his head, shrugging.

"No, I haven't. The last I heard of him, I was leaving school and he said he had to do some things," Sam responded, causally strolling into the kitchen and leaning on the chilled counter. He took a breath. "Anyways, I'm starving. Am I on my own for supper?"

John cleared his throat as he scrolled through his phone. He looked up for a moment.

"Uh, yeah," he said quickly. "There's stuff in the fridge to make, stuff in the cabinets, I don't know. I might have to run to the store sometime."

"Okay. I'll find something," Sam said simply.

He went to the stainless steel fridge, and shuffled through its cold contents. His discoveries were a head of lettuce that didn't look to bad, and some Italian sauce. He flipped through the cabinets, and pulled out a white ceramic bowl.

He prepared his salad, but heard an engine in the drive sputter to a stop. A moment later, Dean strolled in. Sam couldn't see him from the kitchen but he heard John's voice.

"Where've you been?" His voice demanded.

"Relax! I had football try outs until 4:30, and then I went out for an early dinner with my new girlfriend," Dean said.

_Girlfriend?!_

John sounded interested, too.

"Girlfriend? Really, Dean? Who is she?" John asked.

Dean came into the kitchen, and Sam gazed up at him from fixing up his dinner.

"Her name's Lisa, and she's the head cheerleader. She's awesome," Dean said, looking proud.

Sam raised his eyebrows, and continued silently into the dining room. He slid into a chair, and stabbed his fork firmly into his salad.

He chewed thoughtfully, trying to overhear the conversation going on in the kitchen between Dean and John.

"I just want to know where you are at most times, okay? You and Sam. You need to be safer," John said softly.

Sam heard Dean snort.

"What? Come on, Dad. It's not like we'll be attacked by rabid bunnies and squirrels out in the neighborhood," Dean joked lightly.

"I'm serious, son. I also don't want you up in anything bad. We don't need to draw attention to ourselves," John warned.

"Okay, okay. Also, did ya know Bobby Singer has a wife and a stepdaughter? That's weird," Dean said.

"Yeah, doesn't his wife run the shop down near the school? Ellen, right?" John asked.

"Yeah. She's pretty nice, and her daughter's cute," Dean said.

John guffawed.

"Don't let her hear you say that. She'll chop your head off with a steak knife if you go after her precious daughter," he said.

Dean gave a laugh.

"Well, I'm gonna go to bed now. I'm pretty tired," Dean said.

Sam saw him walk past, and heard Dean's loud footsteps against the creaky wooden stairs. Sam slowly finished his salad, and stood. He crossed over to the sink in the kitchen, and rinsed his bowl out.

He turned to his father in the living room, and said, "I might turn in too. Night, Dad."

"Good night, Sam," John said, his eyes leaving the television for a second.

Sam headed up the stairs carefully, his hand sliding up the smooth wood banister, with the light tan color.

He entered his room, the only thing on his mind- Gabe. He heaved a sigh out, disappointed. He was just too tired and distraught to think too deeply, but his mind questioned every possibility.

He fell into his bed, his legs and arms spread wide. He laid on his back, and stared at the dark, shadowed ceiling.

He couldn't believe what Gabe had just done to him. 

He bit his lip as he felt slow tears run down the sides of his face. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OMG SAM... I love you babe, and I'm so sorry! Stuff will get better-hopefully...
> 
> I apologize for the wait, really. I've been mostly mad at myself because I'm not updating enough. 
> 
> Also, sorry for some mistakes. I'm a bit tired, and I probably missed some.
> 
> Anyways, what do you think?


	7. Surmise

Sam couldn't care less about getting up the next morning. His joints ached; probably because he always tossed and turned in his sleep. He wondered how he was going to face Gabriel. Deep inside, he felt angry. But he couldn't help thinking that he'd done something wrong, to push Gabriel away. It shouldn't be his fault, though. It wasn't. Gabriel USED him. For what, though?!

Sam stared at the ceiling, blinking slowly.

He decided he would just go and face the music. Y'know, pretend that everything's okay even though he felt like his heart was ripped out and shoved into a freaking blender! God. Why did people have to be so heartless?

He tried to motivate himself to sit up, but mostly gave a weak sigh and still laid there, in his happy, warm, loving bed. It was only when Dean went by in the hall and knocked on the door and called, "Get up!" that Sam finally moved.

He slowly boosted himself up, and the bed groaned a noise of protest. His feet trailed smoothly along the icy cold floor as he made his way to his closet. He wiped at his mouth with the back of his hand as he rifled through his clothes. His arms flopped down to his sides, and he grumpily hit his head against the closet's frame. He lingered there for a moment, letting his gaze rest on the chipping white paint on the frame.

Sam gave a long, loud defeated sigh.

He turned, and went into his bathroom. He rubbed slowly at the shadows under his eyes, and yanked his gray pajama shirt over his head. He stripped down, and absently traced the line of his prominent hip bone as he stepped into the tile shower. He twisted the dial on the shower to the very hot setting, and enjoyed a not very long lasting shower.

He stepped out, shivering, and got dressed hurriedly, buttoning up a worn black, white and gray flannel shirt.

He opened his door, not really feeling ready to go out and see people, but he managed his way down the stairs and into the kitchen.

Dean was there, whistling and slightly swaying at the stove, frying bacon. Sam gave a disgusted sniff at it, and opened the cabinet.

"You seem pretty grumpy today," Dean commented off-handedly.

Sam gave an annoyed sigh.

"You think?" He asked.

Dean glanced at him.

"Dude, what's up?" He said, his voice going serious and his eyes setting on "concerned mode."

"It's nothing I can't deal with," Sam responded.

He grabbed the jug of milk and his box of cereal from the cupboard.

"Okay, whatever," Dean said, shaking his head and turning back to his gross, greasy bacon.

Sam chewed at his lip, regretting the decision to even get up.

***

Sam could feel the ice cold nervousness in his stomach as he made his way to his first hour. Sure, English was a great subject, and everything, but it mostly because Gabriel was in that class, and that really bothered him. He didn't even know how Gabriel would act around him anymore. Hell, they'd made out and everything and now was it just going to go back to normal?! The way it used to be? Gabriel being his hot-blooded, crazed self, hitting on everything that moves and Sam just being shy and awkward? He didn't know, and wasn't up for caring. He could distantly remember his face hurting from smiling so much around Gabriel. He couldn't bear it- being away from Gabe. It took so much effort to not start sobbing for Gabriel to take him back.

....Was he just too attached?

He drifted into class and slumped into his seat. He brang his eyes up just a little, and breathed a sigh of relief.

Good.

Gabriel wasn't there yet. But there was someone in his seat.

From what Sam could see, she had long, dark wavy hair, and fair, naturally tanned skin. She was in a very nicely pleated, red skirt and a leopard print, crisp blouse. If this was Kali, she didn't seem much like the type to go for Gabriel.

Speaking of which, he had just walked in, and was heading over. Sam leaned back slowly in his seat, keeping his eyes low. Gabriel approached his seat, and grinned lazily, smoothing back his tawny hair. He offered a hand to the girl, and she took it, her small manicured hand fitting into his hand perfectly. She stood, turning to him and smiling with dark red lips.

"Hello, my beautiful goddess," Gabriel whispered, kissing her hand sweetly.

Sam's stomach turned, and he got a sick feeling.

"Hello, Gabriel," she said back.

She had a silky, low voice.

Gabriel smirked charmingly, and sat down, lowering his eyelids. He always had that smooth attitude around school, but when he was out, he acted a lot different. But Sam knew that he'd never really be able to see through that façade. Gabriel had built it up so high and strong. But there was always such a deep look of sincerity in his gorgeous, pure gold eyes.

In his seat in front of Sam, Gabriel gave a slight involuntary head turn towards Sam, and hesitated. Sam didn't notice.

Kali gave a little smile at Gabriel, and slunk back to her seat. Gabriel gave her a sly, slow wink.

Sam wanted to barf.

***

Castiel sat impatiently at his usual round table in the lunch room, waiting for his crazed ginger friend to show her face.

Charlie nearly ran up, gasping.

She was wearing her typical fandom shirt- in this case, a black Sherlock t-shirt. Her lavender jeans actually matched greatly with her high-lighter yellow sneakers.

"OH MY SWEET JESUS. Did you watch the new episode of Doctor Who last night?! Cuz oh my mother-freaking gods it was fantastic!" Charlie squealed excitedly, making other tables full of students stare.

Castiel smiled uneasily.

"No, I didn't. But I recorded it, at least," he said quickly to satisfy Charlie and make her look of slight disgust go away.

She forcefully pulled out a chair and plopped down in it. She had a look of determination on her face.

"Okay, then I'm coming over tonight and we're gonna watch it," she said firmly.

"Okay."

Nothing was better than watching your favorite TV show with your best friend, right? Yes, of course, but Castiel still felt miserable. He couldn't help replaying the whole conversation he had with Dean from the other day in his mind. Though, it really wasn't a conversation, it was more like 'I yell at you, you stay quiet' thing. He still felt really sorry, but didn't feel like apologizing. Dean should do it instead, for giving him false hope. He laughed slightly, knowing 'false hope' wasn't really a good excuse. Charlie looked at him suspiciously.

"Why did you just laugh? Are you becoming a psychopath?" She asked.

"No, no, just thinking," he said.

Then, Charlie started smiling and jumping up and down in her seat really excitedly.

"Oh my gosh! Guess what?!"

She didn't wait for an answer.

"There's this party coming up in a few weeks and I'm so so sooo excited! Jo and I are going, and it's going to be awesome! There's gonna be a bunch of the really cool kids too!" She cried.

Castiel blinked. That's weird. Their crowd didn't really get invited to parties, they were kind of the nerds and losers. Okay, except maybe Balthazar. He was a cool kid. He only sat with them on rarely, when his occasional lovers weren't at school.

"Wait- you got invited to a party?" Castiel asked only out of confusion. Charlie laughed.

"I know, I know, it sounds really impossible. But Jo got asked to come, so she asked me cause she didn't have any other friends that were girls to go with," Charlie explained like it was obvious.

"Ah," Castiel breathed.

"Hey! You should come with us to the party!" Charlie exclaimed suddenly.

Castiel winced.

He really didn't like parties. Just imagining the wild, inappropriate dancing, music and talking just disgusted him. He hated imagining the drunken students staggering around and spilling things everywhere, and the way every surface was sticky from alcohol and sweat. Girls wandering around halfway topless and shorts that barely covered anything made him shiver and extremely uncomfortable. And the taste of liquor always felt like a sweet, cool burn down his throat, but it gave him a horrible feeling in his gut, like he shouldn't be drinking it at all. Which was true. But the feeling of dancing and not giving a shit always felt amazing.

So that's why he said, "Sure."

***

They'd only been dating for a few days, but sure, Gabriel was willing to admit Kali was absolutely perfect. He was always a little over-eager, but he'd never really had any difficulties in relationships. His typical relationships consisted of the usual date for a few days, get them into bed maybe, and dump them. It was just that, maybe he was feeling a little more over-eager with her. Sure, maybe he was comfortable with dating her for a little longer. He knew that she would probably be like a wild cat in bed; she was sexy.

But back to the thing that he did. What he did- it totally wasn't okay, what happened. It just sorta... slipped out. He didn't mean it to end that way, but it kind of did.

Gabriel was making his way to the cafeteria. The halls were empty, no one around the blue lockers at all. Except maybe Kali. She pulled him to the side, slipping her hand around the crook of his arm. He glanced at her, his eyes widening in shock for a second. Then he lowered his eyelids, and smiled.

"Hey, babe," he whispered.

She giggled.

"Hey," she said softly. She had him up against the lockers, her hands resting on his chest, slipping over the soft navy fabric of his shirt. She smiled sweetly, and her dark eyelashes fluttered. He instantly knew she wanted something from him. But what could that be, exactly? He'd be willing to give her anything.

She stared up at him, and her hand slid up to run her fingers through his hair. He smiled blissfully, but had to stop himself for a moment. There was a secret almost all angels kept, and it was that they pretty much really liked to be groomed and pet. It was extremely embarrassing, especially the purring part. Haha, awkward. Anyways....

He smoothly pulled her in closer, his arm sliding around to her hip. And she started kissing him softly. And hell, he liked it like crazy. She almost had a kind but forceful push to her lips- almost like someone he knew- no! Not Sam. Can't think about Sam. Focus. But her kisses made him give in.

Sam's kisses always resonated on his lips, and in his mind and in his heart. Sam's kisses made him tremble and want to beg for more and more constantly.

Then why did her kisses- which weren't nearly as good as Sam's- feel as amazing as Sam's?

Probably because now he was imagining. He could feel Sam's large hands pushing him firmly into the locker, dominating, feeling, travelling all over. Usually he'd be the dominant one, but Sam made him get a weak, nervous feeling in his stomach.

Deep inside, he knew that Sam would probably never go this far, but it didn't hurt to imagine the strong sophomore gripping his ass. He gave a low moan into another slow kiss.

"Oh, fuck, don't stop Sam." He felt the those whispered words slip from his mouth before he could even think.

Kali froze.

His nails scraped against the blue lockers. She drew away from him slowly. There was a slight anger in her eyes, and she straightened her ruffled leopard print patterned blouse. Her prominent cheekbones had flushed.

"What did you say?"

Her words were poisonous.

His cheeks burned. Shit. He just ruined it all. Stupid fucking Sam and his attractive face! His throat was dry, and his hands were already sweaty. He cautiously wiped them on his jeans, and swallowed hard.

"Uh...," He stuttered.

"Who's Sam?" She demanded. "Wait- I didn't know you preferred guys over girls-"

"No! Kali, listen. I'm bi, okay? But just listen to me, Sam was just a old short time thing," Gabriel begged, his golden eyes pleading.

"That's not true. The way you said his name..... it had to have been good with him, huh? If he was some old fling you couldn't care less about, then why were you moaning his name instead of mine?!"

Then Kali's eyes flashed with remembrance.

"No..... not the Sam in first hour?! You mean him?! God, that freakish giant!" She snapped, her eyes basked in icy fire.

Gabriel felt his heart scream in protest. He got really angry, really fast.

"Don't you dare call him that!" Gabriel shouted, straightening his posture so that he towered over her.

He wasn't that much taller than her, but he was a lot of power stuffed into a small figure.

She narrowed her eyes, her jaw clenching. Gabriel didn't expect her to slap him. Her hand hit his cheek so quickly, like a snap. He staggered away, his back slamming into the blue lockers, and his eyes widened and his mouth dropped open. She was fuming. The dull pain in his cheek began to grow, and he winced slightly. The skin there was hot to the touch. She stared at him, her eyes cold.

"We're done. Good luck getting back with your freak," she hissed.

She whipped around, her dark curls flying behind her, and stormed off in her black heels. They clicked against the floor and then were out of sight. Gabriel slid his back down the lockers slowly, and sat with his knees tucked in. He gave a defeated, pained sigh. He wrapped his arms around his legs, and buried his head. He'd just added another onto the long list of mistakes he'd made.

***

Sam was trying to be happy and laugh along with Charlie, who was babbling non-stop. He could see that Castiel was managing to do that as well. Sam has not touched his food, he'd uselessly ordered a salad and had not touched it. The light blue ceramic bowl it was served in mocked him with it's happy color. He was wanting to go home, and wanting to find Dean in the huge, pristine cafeteria. All this stuff with Kali and Gabriel made him sick. He still couldn't believe he could still think about Gabriel. He was sad, because he'd managed to stay so deeply in love with Gabriel after all this time. He also just wanted to leave and never come back or see the archangel again.

He heard a distant click of shoes, and someone cleared their throat impatiently next to him. His eyes flicked up.

There stood Kali, looking very intimidating. His blood ran cold at the anger in her brown eyes.

"Hello. You're Sam, right?" She asked breathlessly.

Sam stammered.

"Uh, yeah, I believe so," he said slowly.

She slapped him, a loud smack on the right side of his face. He gasped.

"What the hell?!" He exclaimed.

Almost the whole table was staring at her in shock.

"I can't BELIEVE it. You pathetic, sad freakish giant! You ruined what I had!" She snapped. "You ruined Gabriel, and you butchered my relationship! You are an asshole!"

And with that, she stormed away, and Sam was left in the roaring silence of his own misery and confusion.

***

Jess entered the nurse's office, yawning. She had just been trying to call some kid's parents to try and get them to come and get him. Poor kid had had a panic attack over dissecting a dead cat in science. No, she wasn't the nurse, she sort of helped with distributing people's medication. It was sort of part-time. She wanted to be a nurse.

Jess walked in, and suddenly spotted Sam sitting in a blue plastic chair. He looked absolutely pitiful.

"Sam!" She cried as she noticed the faint pink hand print that stood out against his cheek. "Oh, God, what happened?!"

"I got freaking bitch-slapped," he mumbled, lowering his head so his dark hair fell in front of his face.

"Are you okay? Here, let me get some ice," she said hurriedly, heading to the refrigerator in the office.

She opened the freezer, and pulled out one of the bags of ice they kept for injuries. Jess then headed back to Sam, and slowly pressed the bag of ice on his cheek. He hissed lightly, and reached up to hold it. Their hands brushed lightly for a moment, and Jess flushed. She quickly snapped her hand away, and gazed at her black flats.

"Thanks, Jess," he murmured softly. She dipped her head, and pulled up a chair. She gazed at him, her deep brown eyes curious and concerned.

"What happened?" She whispered.

Sam shook his head effortlessly.

"I don't know. That Kali chick in first hour slapped me because apparently I 'ruined her relationship,'" he said, staring blankly at the tiled floor.

His hazel eyes echoed the hurt he'd been experiencing over the last few days.

"What?! That's stupid, and not right," she said angrily. "Why would she say that?!"

He might've known the reason, but he didn't care to think about it. He'd had enough of the drama and pain. He should try and become a bit more unattached.

"I don't know."

"Well. I'd say you need some cheering up. Say, how 'bout this weekend you and I go to Ellen and Jo's and then go see a movie?" She suggested brightly.

She had no idea how she managed to get those words out. She'd really been planning to ask him out for a while now. She hoped that wasn't weird. Plenty of guys thought girls shouldn't ask guys out. She just thought that maybe Sam felt the same about her. He was cute, sweet, kind, smart and overall just adorable. She almost wondered if it was to soon. But then she wondered- why wait?

Sam sat in silence for a moment.

"I don't know if I can," he admitted.

Jess felt her heart crash to the tiled floor and shatter. She forced a smile, and flicked her dirty blonde curls behind her shoulder.

"That's totally okay," she said easily. She glanced up as the bell rang. "Here, let's get you to class."

She watched him stand slowly. She came over, and took the ice pack off his face. She didn't mind that they were inches apart, but he noticed. She gingerly touched the mark on his cheek that was barely there anymore, and smiled softly, her pink lips spreading. He stared at her truly beautiful face. Jess seemed different to him, than other girls. She was hesitant and cautious, but she could be brave, loyal, and feisty when she wanted to be. Somehow, if he looked deeply, she reminded him a little of.... no, never mind that.

Their eyes met for a slight moment, and suddenly he was just pulling her in by her waist, and kissing her. Her eyes flew wide open, and she nearly dropped the ice pack. She stood frozen for one complete second, and then relaxed into his touch, cradling his strong jaw in her hands. He pulled away slowly, a teasing smile on his lips.

"I think I might actually take you up on that lunch and movie offer," Sam murmured softly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Holy crap.... Haven't updated in a while...... I had this chapter written, I was just too lazy to post it. :(  
> Anyways, the next chapter.............  
> *whispers*  
> ....prepare yourself....  
> But, I'm actually pretty happy with this chapter!


	8. Cloudy Skies

Castiel woke up on Saturday, to a bright and early morning. He could faintly hear the birds chirping outside, and the weak sunlight slipped through the windows of his room.

He sat up, his legs splayed out under the covers. His eyelids remained half open, sleepy. He scraped at his mouth and his fingers rubbed at his eyes. He let his hands drag down his face, and he yawned hugely. He tossed his covers aside, and got up slowly. He slumped over to the window, and shut the blinds with a quick snap.

"Ugh," he managed out.

He didn't feel like he was in the mood for cheerfulness. All he could think about was.... well. He didn't want to think about it. He could remember all of the words that he had harshly said to Dean. He regretted each of them. He wished that he could see Dean now, but he figured he should move on. Get over it. Dean was just some stupid crush of his- nothing more, nothing less.

He slipped into his bathroom, staring into the mirror, his deep blue eyes soulful. He gazed, blinking slowly. His chest felt pressed in, a pressure building inside.

Hurt. It was hurt.

He had hurt Dean and by doing so had hurt himself. He'd never had a chance. Maybe he could just try to be friends with Dean...?

Doubt ran through his mind.

Dean wouldn't want to be friends with him again. He remembered the moment Dean rejected him. What did he do wrong?! It wasn't him. It was Dean's fault. Not his.

He gripped the counter, his fingers aching against the marble. He let out a slow sigh, and glared at himself in the mirror.

"Forget him, Castiel. Forget it. He never was supposed to mean anything to you. You can't just hold on forever. Let him go. He never was yours anyways. Say goodbye," he whispered.

He watched his reflection mouth the words back to him, and then he fell silent. He watched as a slow tear rolled down his reflection's face.

"I can't."

He wiped absently at the tear, insisting in his mind there was no time for crying and that he wouldn't cry.

He slipped away from the mirror, absently drifting through his room, and opening the door. He gave a glance back at the sun shining through the windows.

And silently, he wished for rain.

***

Sam awoke, staring at the ceiling curiously with his hazel eyes. He blinked for a second, remembering Jess. He had plans with Jess. Today!

A cute little childish grin flit across his face.

He flew out of bed, tossing his sheets aside and dashing to the closet. He beamed, and flipped through his clothes, trying to decide what he could possibly wear. He settled on a white t-shirt, and his beloved jacket. It was a dark blue color on the outside, with a black and white checkered inside. He casually stepped back, and smiled.

Then he dashed to his bathroom, ridding himself of the shorts and t-shirt he had slept in. He tossed them away, and turned on the shower. He hurriedly slipped off his navy boxers as well.

He felt fantastic as he climbed into the shower, letting the warm water spill onto his face. He sighed, wiping his face with his wet hands, and soaking his hair. He stretched, and yawned, his chest slick and shining with water. His muscles (the ones he never really knew he had) flexed repeatedly as he washed his hair hurriedly, scrubbing and blowing white soap suds out of his face. He sighed again, lathering soap over every inch to make sure he was clean. He rinsed himself off, water running down the crevices of his hips and down his legs.

He shut off the water, and climbed out, drying off, and wrapping the towel around his waist. He exited the bathroom, giving a glance to the foggy mirror.

He smiled, knowing that that day was going to be wonderful.

He dressed hurriedly, pulling the white shirt over his head, and zipping and buttoning his jeans. He shrugged on his jacket, and stared in the mirror. He fixed his damp hair self consciously, and tilted his head. A casual grin righted itself on his lips. He looked pretty good. He smirked at himself.

He knew he should've done this a long time ago. Finally letting go felt good. It felt better than he had expected.

He strode to his bedside, and grabbed his phone. He checked it with a quick look. He had a new text from Jess, from about five minutes ago.

**J: Hey! Are we still on for today? If so, meet me at 11:30 for lunch at Ellen and Jo's. :)**

Sam opened his phone, smiling hugely. He hurriedly tapped out a response, wiggling his thumbs.

**S: Yeah, of course! Sounds good. I'll see you there!**

He turned, and exited his room, shutting the door behind him. He went down the stairs, and looked around. There was a faint sizzle from the kitchen, and a good smell struck him in the face.

He strode into the kitchen, and found Dean at the stove, whistling. He was whistling some crazy tune and jamming out at the stove. He looked like he was frying eggs or something.

Sam merely looked at him, scoffing slightly, and sat down at the counter. He grinned at his older brother.

Dean glanced over his shoulder.

"Hey bro," he said lightly.

"Hey."

Sam reached forward and picked up a bright red apple, tossing it and catching it.

A joking smile hung itself on Dean's lips.

"Oh, look at you, all smooth," he said, giving a laugh.

Sam chuckled, his eyes lighting up.

"I know," he said dismissively.

Dean gazed at him, tilting his head.

"You seem happier than you were yesterday," he commented carefully.

"Yeah. I have a date today, that's why," he said, tossing and catching the apple again, and jokingly swaggering into the dining room.

Dean laughed.

"Oh really? Who's the lucky lady?" He asked.

"Her name's Jess," Sam said with a grin, and plopped down into a padded chair.

"OOH. Jess," Dean said dramatically.

Sam threw the apple at him forcefully, smirking. It hit Dean square on the shoulder, and bounced on the wooden floor. Dean looked at him in mock horror and hurt.

"That hurt Sammy," he whimpered with a roll of his eyes.

Sam stuck out his tongue childishly, and got up and picked up the apple off the floor, washing it in the sink. He went back to his chair in the dining room, and sunk down into it.

"Jerk," he said.

"Bitch," Dean said, hissing out the end.

Sam watched him as he went back to smiling and humming, scraping the scrambled eggs on a plate.

"So when's your date, Mr. Bitch?"

"Haha, you're funny. It's at 11:30, Captain Jerk."

"Oi, captain huh? Means I outrank you," Dean said, sliding the plate of eggs to Sam. "Now eat up, scrawny."

Sam's eyes were sparkling, and he shoved a forkful of eggs into his mouth, chewing thoughtfully.

Dean went to the counter and slapped on the radio, and twisted the knob to a station. He cranked the volume up, and started jamming out at the stove.

"Take me home tonight! I don't wanna let you go 'til you see the light!" He sang happily, using the spatula to hit the beat on the counter.

Sam watched his dorky brother dance around the kitchen, singing wildly.

"God, you're a dork," Sam said.

"Shut up," Dean argued. "I love these songs. Have you ever listened carefully to these songs?! They weren't performing the song for the money, they were feeling it! Living it! This music is deep."

"Yeah, sure. I didn't know you were turning all soft on me, Dean," Sam said, swallowing a bite of eggs.

"HOLY SHIT. I love this song!" Dean shrieked from the kitchen.

"What song?" Sam asked absently.

"Carry On My Wayward Son," Dean said.

"Wait- you mean Kansas?" Sam questioned.

"Yup. This song's my anthem," Dean answered. He used the spatula as a guitar and then tossed it into the sink.

Sam shook his head, his hair flopping. He grunted, and pushed it out of his face.

Slowly he rose out of his seat, passing Dean, who was now violently slamming the beat on the counter. He put his plate in the sink, giving a judgemental look towards his brother. He checked his watch, feeling concerned for the time.

It was only 9:25.

He sighed, going up stairs and rubbing his eyes. He wondered what he would do for the next two hours. He closed his door to Dean singing "Renegade" by Styx.

***

Sam suddenly jolted awake, gasping. He panted, and blinked, rubbing at the sides of his mouth. He never remembered dozing off.

A sunny light peeked in through the closed blinds.

Jeez, what time was it? He sleepily glanced at his watch.

11:28?! Aw shit. He was gonna be late!

He jumped up, his hair flipping everywhere. He dashed to the mirror, half awake. He quickly fixed his hair and straightened out his clothes, groaning. His phone buzzed. He grabbed it, and read the notification.

**J: Hey, are ya coming? XD**

He unlocked his phone and quickly typed-

**S: Yeah, sorry, I'm coming. There was a small mishap.**

He sent it and shut off his phone, running down the stairs. His feet pounded on the wooden floor.

"Fuck, fuck! Dean we gotta go!" Sam shouted.

Dean appeared instantly.

"Oh thank God I thought you were dead. Or dying. You were gonna miss your date Mr. Bitch," Dean said, a mischievous spark in his eye.

"Shut up. I'm late," he snapped, pushing Dean towards the door. "Why didn't you wake me up?"

Dean ignored that question.

"Calm down Sam. If she's a nice girl she'll understand," Dean said with a roll of his eyes that Sam couldn't see.

Sam's worn sneakers slid against the floor, and he sighed.

"So that's what you say about all the girls that you take on dates and then show up three hours late to?" Sam fired back.

Dean just laughed, giving the front door a shove open. He stepped out into the brilliant, cool morning air. Sam dashed out, and climbed into the Impala.

"Dude, how old are you?" Dean asked.

"Uhhh," Sam started. "16?"

"Shouldn't you be learning how to drive by now?" Dean questioned.

"Actually, shouldn't you be driving right now?" Sam's cheeks burned as he buckled his seat belt.

"Shut up. I just haven't got the time to do that yet," he said defensively.

"Uh huh. I'll just call it plain laziness," Dean drawled as he started the car.

Sam gave a grunt of indifference as Dean pulled out of the drive, and glided down the road.

"Where's this date?" Dean asked.

"Ellen and Jo's," Sam said. "I don't really know what we're doing. Probably just hanging out."

Dean let out a slight guffaw, slapping his hands against the wheel as he pulled into the retro restaurant's parking lot.

"What?!" Sam demanded.

"Naw, it's just an innuendo," Dean commented as he rolled up to the main doors.

"Wow. I'm even surprised you knew that word," Sam joked. "Now why'd you laugh?"

"Well, you said you were 'hanging out,'" Dean said simply.

Sam got out of the car, and slammed the door shut. He looked back in through the window, and raised his eyebrows.

"So....?" He asked.

Dean grinned maniacally.

"Use protection," he said lightly.

Sam turned beet red.

"What?! No! I-!" He stuttered out as Dean pulled away. "Dean, you jerk!"

He heard Dean's faint laugh.

He muttered soft curses to his brother as he walked inside.

It was nice and cool inside, and he tried to relax. It wasn't supposed to be some big deal- a first date with a person. Wait, yeah it was. He didn't even know if Jess was just wanting to be friends or something more. He had no idea honestly. He thought she was super pretty, yeah, of course. But he was feeling hesitant. Moving on too fast probably. He knew he'd probably set himself up for disaster, but he decided to just roll with it.

He suddenly spotted Jess. He had to catch his breath for a second- his heart felt like it was trying to throw itself out of his chest.

She was sitting in a red booth, one with the signature retro white stripe down the middle. Her blue eyes were calmly staring out the window next to her. She was simply and naturally beautiful. She was wearing a blue ruffled t-shirt that complimented her eyes, and her dirty blonde hair was softly curled, falling past her shoulders.

Sam couldn't help noticing how different she looked from Gabriel. Her face was all curves and kindness, not sharpened by the harshness of reality.

He found himself stumbling towards her, and then he straightened himself so that he could actually walk properly. He casually made his way over, trying not to knock over any tables on the way. He slid into the booth across from her, and she turned her gaze to him.

Her face broke into a smile.

"Hey, Sam," she greeted.

He grinned.

"Hey," he responded.

She gave a slight laugh, almost a soft breath. Her smile was gleaming, and pretty. His grin was soft.

"You look very nice," he said.

She blushed, glancing at him, and giggled.

His amber eyes went wide.

"What?"

"Thanks. But you look like you got up five minutes ago," she answered. "But nice too."

"Haha, yeah.... long story honestly," he grinned, his cheeks heating up.

She grinned, her eyes sparking with interest.

"Well, tell it," she said, leaning forward slightly.

So, he explained every weird thing that happened to him that morning. He loved how she hung onto every detail and paid attention.

In the end, she was giggling crazily and he found himself laughing along with her.

"Your brother sounds like quite the character," she said, her cheeks red from the laughter.

Sam nodded, giving a fake grimace.

"He's a nuisance," he said jokingly, and then hesitated."Are we gonna get something to eat?"

"Oh, yeah. Of course," she said, handing him a menu.

He flipped through it, sending her a smile over the top of it. She returned it, and he relaxed. It was just Jess. Just her. He felt like he didn't need to impress her, he just needed to be a good friend or possibly good... well, y'know, boyfriend.

Ellen strode over, her eyes as warm as her smile.

"Sorry it took so long. My daughter has was having small problems with a napkin holder," Ellen said, shaking her head.

Sam laughed.

"Hey, Ellen! I'll probably just have the same thing I had last time. Salad, Italian dressing, a bowl of fruit and a water please," Sam said, closing his menu.

Jess stared at him, her eyes wide. She slowly turned her head to Ellen.

"I have the exact same thing but with Ranch instead," she said breathlessly.

Ellen chuckled.

"Looks like he read your mind hun," she said, scribbling with her pencil on her small yellow notepad.

"I'll be back with your order soon."

She walked off, and Jess looked at him with a mock suspicious look on her face.

Sam grinned sheepishly.

"Wasn't me," he said quickly.

She giggled, her eyes bright.

"You're a vegetarian, right?" She asked.

He gave a sly smile.

"Yeah. How could you tell?" He questioned with a playful roll of his eyes.

"Well.....," she said, tilting her head. "Other than the fact you ordered a salad, I read the sign. It says 'Best Burgers In The State.' No non-vegetarian would pass that up."

Sam sat back in his seat, his grin wide.

"Aw, you caught me," he said in mock defeat.

She gave a small bow.

In a moment, their lunch was delivered, and Sam made sure to eat carefully, and be cautious.

Jess gazed at him, smirking.

"What?" Sam said after swallowing.

"Relax, Sam, it's not like I'm some critic or that you need to impress me with your eating habits," she said with a soft smile.

"Okay," he said nervously.

After some slight hesitation, he asked, "What's your family like?"

Jess paused, lowering her fork, and she was silent for a moment.

"I-It's okay, you don't have to tell me," he said hurriedly.

She shook her head lightly, her curls bobbing.

"No, it's okay. Uh, I just moved here this summer, because basically my father's the head of this new housing development, 'River Stone Estate,' or something. I moved from California, y'know, beaches and stuff. My... my um, mom stayed behind," she explained.

"Oh," Sam managed out.

He understood. A separated family. Divorced. Whatever way he could put it it still sounded horrible.

Jess fidgeted with her napkin. Her eyes flickered up to Sam.

"What about you?"

Sam finished up his salad, and cleared his throat.

"Uh. My dad- not really sure what he does, but it gives a lot of money. Then there's Dean, who's a senior. He'll be graduating next year, and I'm not even sure what he'll do. And my mom's, uh, dead. She died when I was only a few months old," he said slowly.

Jess nodded.

"Sounds like a nice family," she said softly.

Sam laughed, shrugging.

She smiled back, eating a bright red strawberry.

He gazed at her in the silence.

She just seemed so happy all the time. She was wonderful. He loved her presence, she was a sun that lit up the room.

As she finished her salad, he asked, "So what do you want to do when you grow up?"

"Um, be a nurse probably. You?"

"Lawyer."

"Fancy," she commented.

He smiled.

"Soo," she said. "My secret plan was for us to see a movie."

He tilted his head back, laughing.

"So we're going old-school?" He asked.

"I happen to like old-school," she said defensively with a grin.

"Want to see Guardians of the Galaxy with me? It's a Marvel movie. I hope you don't mind."

"No. I like Marvel," he said.

"Okay. I'll pay for this and the movie," she said quickly.

"Haha, you're funny," he said seriously. "You aren't paying. For anything."

"Why not?" She asked, persistent.

He got up to go pay at the counter.

"'Cause this is a date," he said, saying just that to make her stop questioning him.

He smiled back at her as he went to the counter. She returned his smile, her blue eyes as bright as the sky.

***

The movie was absolutely fantastic. He'd never seen Guardians of the Galaxy, and it was totally worth it. He loved the music especially. It was cool. He remembered most parts, but the part he did remember most wasn't in the movie.

He remembered Jess slipping her hand into his in the beginning of the movie. He had probably gotten all sweaty, he couldn't remember, but she probably didn't mind because her hand didn't move.

They walked out of the theater, hand in hand. The wind blew gently around them.

Jess's phone buzzed. She checked it, and frowned.

"My dad's going to be here in a few minutes," she said softly.

"Okay. Want to sit?" He asked, gesturing to a bench.

"Sure," she said, shrugging.

They took a seat, Jess sitting comfortably on the right, next to him.

She smiled at him.

"Well, that was wonderful," she said finally, after a moment. "You shouldn't have paid for anything though. I'm still upset about it."

She gave a fake pout.

Sam laughed, gazing at her.

She stared back quietly. She lifted her right hand, taking the left side of his face and pulling him in. She kissed him slowly, and broke away with a tiny smile.

Sam smiled back, wider.

Suddenly a car honked and they both jumped.

"Oh, shoot," Jess said, squinting at the very nice car. "I gotta go. Do you want a ride home?"

Sam shook his head lightly, and bit his lip, worried that Jess's dad saw them kiss. He shook the thought away.

"No, it's alright. I've got Dean coming to get me," he said.

Jess stood, looking back at him, and blushing.

"Bye Sam," she said.

"Bye Jess," he replied.

She dashed off to the car, and got in.

As the car pulled away, she waved from the window, and he happily waved back.

***

Castiel laid in his comfy bed, on his stomach. His legs were bent, his feet wiggling. They were soft, a sign of no laborious work in his life. Cas was all curves and gentle actions, and hesitancy.

He was flipping through a book, ignoring the feeling he should actually be reading the book, not skimming over the pages. He stared blankly at the words, his vision going out of focus and the black print became fuzzy.

The story was about some forgotten girl looking for her long lost love. He stared disgustedly at the book suddenly, knowing that the ending would be wrapped up and decorated with a bow. She would find her silly love and they would be together forever.

He felt nauseous, knowing endings like that weren't real in the real life.

His eyes lit and focused when his phone buzzed. He blinked, and scrambled around to find his phone. It was playing the upbeat "I'm Walking On Sunshine" that Charlie had insisted be her ring on his cell. His long thin fingers managed to find the darn phone and stare at it for a moment, squinting at the screen. He looked a little taken aback as he clicked "answer."

"Uhh... Hello...?" He said with slight hesitation.

"Hey! What's up?" Charlie said happily, in her usual bouncy tone.

"Erm, nothing really. Just sort of reading in my bed," he said plainly.

Charlie sighed at his monotone voice.

"Well, get your butt out of that bed 'cause I want to meet up," she sassed expertly, stifling a giggle.

"Where?" Castiel asked.

"I dunno," Charlie said sheepishly. "I'm just hungry and there's no food around here."

He could picture her guilty smile. He couldn't help but let a cute grin spread across his face.

"Okay. How about the best restaurant of them all?!" He said excitedly.

"Wait you mean Ellen and Jo's?" She said, puzzled.

"No. I mean the dump. Come on, Charlie," Cas said, exasperated, sliding his hand down his face.

He could almost hear her grin.

"I know, I know," she said with a laugh. "Just seeing if you were awake."

***

Thirty minutes later (yes, thirty minutes, Castiel had to make sure his hair was on point or at least halfway there) Castiel had pulled into Charlie's driveway with his Dodge Charger, honking the horn three times.

Her house was pretty nice, but very small. The front door seemed very welcoming.

Charlie stepped out of it a moment later. She sported her typical skin-tight dark jeans, checkered flannel, and a fandom shirt. This time it was Star Wars. Or was it Star Trek? He never knew.

She was always trying to get him into that fandom stuff. He never understood. She had once cried for three hours over someone named Pond Song or River Melody or something like that. She would talk about how British TV was changing her life constantly.

He always knew he should listen because she was passionate about it.

He always liked to see it when someone talked about someone or something they loved. Their eyes would always light up, and a smile would grace their face.

He loved that part about humans. They were truly the beloved creatures God had made them to be.

Charlie opened the passenger side door, and slid in with a breath.

"Let's go, my bro," she said, her eyes crinkling at the corners when she smiled widely.

"Before we go, I would like to establish that I do not share any lineage with you, therefore I cannot be your brother," Castiel said seriously, staring at Charlie.

She gave him a straight face.

"Then you're my brotha from anotha motha," she said in a plain tone.

Castiel busted out laughing, and pulled into the street after slowly backing out of the drive. The gravel scratched underneath the tires as the two peeled off down the road.

Charlie poked on the little button for the radio and started wildly bobbing her head to some song about shaking something off. Castiel didn't really understand the song, but it was sort of catchy.

Charlie's red curls bounced as Cas carefully maneuvered his car into the parking lot of Ellen and Jo's.

He yanked the clutch around to turn the car off, and sighed frustratedly.

He looked at Charlie.

"I need a new car," he said disappointedly.

"In your dreams," Charlie scoffed, getting out of the car. "Besides, I like this car. It was better than the nasty Saturn Ion you had, like, a year ago."

"Yes, that one was horrible indeed," Cas agreed, nodding as he got out of the car.

He let out a snort.

"You should see the car Gabriel's looking at. He wants to have the coolest ride in town, apparently," Cas said with a roll of his blue eyes as they made their way inside.

"Oh yeah? What's he looking at?"

"A 2015 Acura NSX," Castiel said, giving a mildly annoyed look- he expected that behavior from Gabriel. "It's coming out soon apparently."

"Oh my God I heard that car was badass," Charlie said enthusiastically as she stepped into the cool, air-conditioned diner.

She paused.

"Wait- where's he gonna get the money for that?!" She asked, bewildered.

Cas gave a shrug. He pretended not to know, but he knew Gabriel could snap up millions of dollars at a time with his Trickster powers.

Charlie suddenly gave a sly look to Castiel as she settled down into a striped booth.

Castiel blinked at her as he sat across from her.

"What is it?" He asked.

"So, are you excited for the party?" She asked.

Cas sat back, hesitant on his answer.

"Why, yes," he said timidly. "When is it?"

"Friday night, yo!" Charlie exclaimed. "It's going to be the wildest party I've ever attended! Plus, Jo's going with us, and if I get her drunk she might change her mind about me."

She leaned over and gave a saucy wink.

Castiel scoffed loudly in surprise.

"I thought Ash was interested in her," Castiel said, obviously confused.

"What she doesn't know doesn't hurt her," Charlie whispered sneakily.

Somehow Castiel knew in his mind that was the only reason why she was going was because Jo would be there, and it was also Jo that invited them anyways. Charlie would definitely have to get her game on if she wanted to be with Jo. He knew it would look weird- Charlie being a crazy fan girl and Jo being sort of a rocker chick type- but they would be cute together. He also liked the fact that Charlie was finally getting out there and being social.

"So, what're you gonna look for at the party?" Charlie asked, curious.

"Drinks," Castiel said plainly.

Charlie laughed, tilting her head back.

"No, I mean people," she said.

"Uhh. Friends?" He questioned.

Charlie shook her head, amused. She lowered her head and dropped her voice.

"I meant are you going to hook up?" She asked, giggling.

Cas's face flushed, and he gripped the side of the table.

"Hook up with who?" He asked stiffly.

"I dunno. Who're you looking for? A guy? A girl?" She said with a smile. "Besides, I told you my preference, tell me yours."

"Uh."

Cas fidgeted.

"Erm... Sort of both?" He got out croakily.

"Oh! So you're bi," Charlie said with a nod.

"Yeah. But I sort of like guys more," he said, relieved.

Charlie nodded.

"There is no problem with that," she said.

"But I'm not really sure I want to 'hook up,'" he said softly.

"And why not?" Charlie prompted, resting her chin in her hand.

"Well, I'm sort of stuck on one person at the moment."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's been a long time. So I gave you an extra long chapter to make up for it. Been super busy lately, but whatever. I always find time for fanfiction! (P.S. that time is usually 1 in the morning.) :)  
> Anyways, to sort of satisfy your needs, I tried to write a sort of interesting little shower scene with Sam. I sort of failed, and was mostly blushing the whole time. But don't worry... A small bit of smutty stuff might come later.... ;)  
> Anyways, soon there will be a new chapter. I'll try not to post three months later though. I'm sorry for leaving you hanging. XD  
> Pretty confused and conflicted at this moment though... :\


	9. The Wise

Charlie stared at Castiel with an intense look. He looked sad, and tired beyond belief. There was a worn look to his blue eyes she'd never seen before.

"What do you mean?" She asked carefully.

"I mean that I'm in love with someone else. I want to forget so badly, but I just can't. I don't think I can ever forget," Castiel whispered softly. "I just want to move on, and stop being sad. Maybe going to this party will cheer me up. I'll learn to forget."

"Yeah, maybe. But this person, do they like you? What happened?" Charlie questioned. "It couldn't have been that bad."

"Um, he didn't want to be with me because his stupid father doesn't like homosexuals or something. He just did things that angered me so much."

Castiel dropped his eyes.

Charlie didn't flinch or hesitate when Cas said "he." Cas was very grateful for that. Usually Charlie didn't take things too seriously, but he was happy she was taking this the way he wanted her to. She was a good friend to him.

"Well. I don't want to say you need to forget about him, or to completely move on and act like you're better than him, but I know something else you should do instead," Charlie said, and her eyelids lowered to the table as she traced a split in the table with her nicely manicured finger.

"What's that?" Castiel questioned.

She looked up at Castiel with a reassuring smile.

"I'd say learn from it. Take the information you got from your actions and his, and use that to help you find someone else. Use this experience to determine what you need. Take your mistakes and his mistakes and learn. The only way to help is to grow," she said simply.

Castiel smiled, feeling weight being lifted away from his shoulders.

"Really?" He asked, hope in his eyes. "Are you sure it'll work?"

Charlie gazed at him, her fingers stopping the tracing of the crack on the table.

He looked sadly happy.

"Yes, of course Cas. Just because you might mess up in one relationship doesn't mean you have to stop trying. There are plenty of opportunities to meet amazing people. The guy just wasn't the one for you."

Charlie stared at Castiel, making sure he wouldn't burst out crying or something.

Cas only simply smiled softly. He reached over, and gently put his soft hands on hers, tilting his head.

"Charlie, this is why you're a amazing and my best friend. You make everything better," Castiel said, truly meaning it.

He never knew how much he needed someone like Charlie. She was so wonderful in every way.

"Hon, I was made to help. I'm an expert at this," she said with a wide smile and a roll of her eyes. "So who was he? What was his name?"

Castiel sat back, his lips in a thin line.

"His name is Dean. He's Sam's older brother. He's a senior. He likes to play football, and he's pretty popular. He also really loves pie," Cas explained.

Charlie nodded at the pie part, obviously approving.

"That dude has got his priorities straight," Charlie deducted.

She leaned forward, interested.

"But is he actually?"

"Actually what?"

"Straight," Charlie said, as if the answer was obvious.

"I don't even know," Castiel said with a shrug.

"Wait! You mean to tell me you were hitting on this guy with no idea of his sexuality?!" Charlie nearly shrieked, sitting back in her seat with a creak. "Do you have any idea how crazy that sounds?!"

"No!" Castiel said, horrified, putting his hands to his face. "I assure you I did not make violent physical contact with Dean!"

Charlie choked, then laughed.

Castiel looked baffled. He wondered why Charlie was laughing over such a serious topic.

"'Hitting on' doesn't mean hitting someone! It's a term for flirting, or trying to get with someone," Charlie explained.

Understanding lit up Castiel's eyes.

"Ohhhh," he said quietly.

His eyes dropped the table, and he frowned.

"Then yes, I was 'hitting on' Dean without really knowing his, um, sexuality," he said sheepishly, stressing the word 'sexuality.'"But like you said- I should learn to make better decisions and learn what I want in a relationship. I should definitely move on, but flourish with more knowledge of... relationships."

"Yes," Charlie said proudly. "That's the way to do it! Who knows- you might meet someone special at the party."

***

Gabriel sighed, laying on his back on his bed sideways, his head hanging over the side. He smoothed his tawny hair back, staring blankly at the ceiling.

He should be doing his homework. 

But, let's face it, he never really did it. Ever. He didn't care if he failed school or any of his classes. He was dumb anyways. Or at least that's what everyone else said.

Wow.

Was he drowning in self pity again?

No, he wasn't. He always felt that he was, but that wasn't the way it was at all. Because all of it was the truth.

Everyone he'd ever met either hated him or pitied him. He didn't want their stupid fucking attention. He never wanted it to be all about him. He never wanted that ever. He was always the center of it. He pushed them away all the time yet they continued to pay attention to him, then claimed that he was an attention whore.

God, he had problems. 

He was messed up. 

And yet all he could ever think about was Kali and... Sam. How much he screwed up.

There was an abrupt knock on his door, shaking him out of his thoughts.

He sat up, his hair spilling into his eyes.

" _Entrez_!" He called.

He smoothed his hair back again, and rested his back against the wall.

The door knob twisted, and opened.

Lucifer stepped in. His older "brother" gazed at him, with concerned gray-blue eyes. Lucifer ruffled his blond hair, and sighed.

"Is everything alright, Gabe? You seem a little mopey lately," Lucifer asked.

Gabriel flicked his golden eyes to Lucifer.

"What? Oh. Um. Yeah, sure. I'm okay," Gabriel said, pretending to be disinterested to make Lucifer go away.

Lucifer gave him an "are you serious" look.

Gabriel sighed.

"I could kid myself in thinking that I'm fine, Luci," he said lightly.

Lucifer walked over, and plopped down next to Gabriel on the bed, scooting back to sit right next to his brother. Gabriel tried not to look at him directly.

He knew immediately that Lucifer was going to ask him what was wrong. Lucifer was always helpful. He was such an awesome older brother. Lucifer was there for him, constantly. For every mistake or mishap, Lucifer was there by his side.

"What's wrong, kiddo?"

Yup. There it was.

Gabriel gave a slow exhale, then a laugh.

"You know I'm not good at explaining my feelings," he said, looking at Lucifer, a smile spreading on his lips.

"Yeah. You're pretty emotionally constipated," Lucifer admitted.

Gabriel gave offended face and socked his brother lightly on the shoulder. Lucifer let out a chuckle, rubbing his shoulder gently, and looked at his younger brother.

Gabriel scoffed, looking away.He fell silent; it was almost as if Lucifer was waiting for him to speak. He was quiet for a long time, and he then gave a sigh.

"Do you sometimes ever get damn tired of it all, Luci?" Gabriel said into the silence. "Tired of everything?"

"Yeah, I do," Lucifer said softly. "But it's not an excuse to stop trying."

Gabriel looked at Lucifer, his eyes distant.

Lucifer stared at him, understanding.

Lucifer always had a deep concern for his younger brother. He had always felt that if Gabriel went too far into things, he would ruin himself completely. Lucifer was Gabriel's guardian angel, basically. He looked out for his little bro. But something nagged at him in his stomach. Gabriel was becoming too much like him. Gabriel was following his examples, because he was the one Gabriel looked up to.

That made Lucifer nervous.

"You know, I'm just getting over nasty breakups and fuckups," Gabriel said, leaning his head back and closing his eyes. He rubbed at them tiredly.

"Oh really?" Lucifer prompted.

Gabriel's eyes fluttered open, his eyes looked slightly red and irritated from rubbing them. He gazed forward.

"Yeah. Almost thinking of trying to get back with someone," he said, fidgeting with his shirt.

Lucifer's eyebrows shot up.

"Really? What did this girl do to you that made you wanna go back to her?" Lucifer asked.

Gabriel ignored his question.

"Spending time with them was too amazing to believe, Luci. It was like it wasn't real. But I loved every fucking minute of it. It seemed too goddamn perfect, but everything perfect has to be ruined or end," Gabriel said bitterly, reminiscing about all the happy moments with Sam.

He was wondering what could've happened if he hadn't have shoved Sam away.

"That's true," Lucifer said with a nod. "But not everything's perfect either."

Gabriel turned his head, and stared serenely at Lucifer.

"But they are," Gabriel said softly.

Gabriel knew he was powerful, as an Archangel, Trickster and Norse god. He could conquer the world if he wanted to. But why conquer it when Sam is already his world? He felt his chest collapse, almost a sob.

He took in a few shaky small breaths to quickly calm himself. He wished Lucifer didn't hear. Lucifer didn't seem to, and his usual teasing smile appeared.

"Who is she?" He asked. "Who is this special girl? Who's this girl that's your whole world, apparently?"

Gabriel looked just a little panicked.

"She?" He said hoarsely, gazing at Lucifer.

"Yeah! It's noticeable that you pick up all the girls, Gabby," Lucifer said with a grin. "You're like a magnet for all the chicks, man."

A nervous sweat broke out on Gabriel, and he lowered his eyes. He was too distressed to even notice Lucifer's annoying nickname for him.

"Uhm, fuck," he stuttered.

"Go on, tell me who it is," Lucifer urged.

Gabriel fidgeted, his whole body tense. Lucifer didn't really know much about his preferences. Damn. What if Lucifer found out? What he told him it was a guy? Either way, Lucifer would probably flip out and never speak to him again.

"Who is it, Gabby? Come on, tell me! Or I'll find out who it is!" Lucifer sang, his eyes alight with a teasing spirit.

Gabriel rolled his eyes, his annoyance building.

"Come on Gabby! Please?!" Lucifer whined.

"Goddamnit Lucifer, you're so fucking annoying and obtuse! It isn't a girl! Now please SHUT THE HELL UP," Gabriel snapped out with out a moment of thought or hesitancy.

He drew away quickly, his golden eyes wide and shocked at his outburst. His hands slapped over his mouth.

Lucifer gaped at him.

"What?!" He exclaimed. "What did you just say?!"

"Shut up?" Gabriel squeaked out, his eyes still huge.

"Back the fuck up, Gabby. You mean it's a guy?!" Lucifer asked, incredulous.

Gabriel stared at him, then slowly nodded, tears pricking his eyes. Lucifer was upset with him, he knew it. He couldn't stand to have Lucifer upset with him. It would kill him. 

He felt like he was going to start sobbing. He huddled up into the corner of his bed, looking a little scared.

"Please don't be angry with me," he begged with a whimper, his golden eyes glazed.

Lucifer glanced at him in silence, just realizing.

Gabriel was so afraid of his own rejection. Gabriel was afraid that Lucifer would leave him behind. If he pushed him away, it would ruin Gabriel completely. He just didn't know what to do.

"I- I'm not angry," he said softly, in a soothing tone.

Gabriel seemed to relax slightly, looking hopefully up at his brother.

"So, wait. Are you gay... Or...?" Lucifer trailed off in confusion.

Gabriel's faced screwed up in thought.

"Bi. Or- fuck! I don't know!" he said, burying his head in his arms. He gave a defeated sigh.

"Gabby. Just because you like dick too doesn't mean I hate you," Lucifer sighed, and gave a small laugh.

Gabriel raised his head, his eyes seeming lighter and happier. He grinned.

"Really?" Gabriel asked.

"Really. Whatever you choose, I'll always be here for you, bro," Lucifer said softly, smiling at his little brother. "Y'know, that's kind of what I signed up for from the start. I was to always love you, from the beginning until the end."

***

Friday had come faster than normal, and Castiel was ready to be begging on his knees to get out of school.

He was ready to attend that party.

Ready to finally relax, maybe have a bit of a drink too (not too much, Cas knew that he was quite the crazy drunk). He was ready to hear the music pounding in his head, to feel the sway of his body to the beat. Maybe to find a lover to rock up against him to the song, a lover to add a twist to his hips and a flavor to his mouth.

He was pretty eager to go to this party- more eager to go there than he had been to go anywhere else.

Charlie seemed super excited as well at lunch. She was bouncing in her seat.

Jo seemed... Thrilled? Motivated? Probably on the inside. She sat in her seat at lunch, watching Charlie babble excitedly. Jo almost seemed to be a little to young to be partying, especially for a sophomore, but Gabriel drank and swore like a sailor, and he was the same age as her, so Castiel guessed it didn't matter.

"Omg what should I wear? Something hip? Something sexy? Something mysterious- no wait I don't want to seem like a creeper," Charlie said, shaking her head.

Jo laughed, her eyes happy.

Charlie beamed at her.

Castiel rolled his eyes, remembering once Becky told him that love was like a board game. Charlie was apparently making all the right moves into Jo's heart. He should learn how to do that better, honestly. He wondered if asking Becky for help on romance would help, then instantly decided that probably wouldn't be a good idea.

"So. You haven't even told me where this party was," Castiel said evenly, watching Charlie flirt fantastically with Jo and watching Jo be absolutely oblivious.

"Oh. It's on a college campus, in a frat house," Jo said dismissively, her eyes sliding to Cas.

Cas's eyebrows shot up in surprise.

"But relax. It's by invite only, and on private property. And we won't be the only younger ones there. There will probably even be a few freshmen. Plus I also heard they were serving tons of really good liquor," Jo explained ecstatically. "They're rich!"

"Okay," Castiel said, but he was still a little nervous.

He could imagine all of the super hot college guys that would be there. His heart pounded in excitement. It would help a lot if he just loosened up anyways.

Dean suddenly passed by with Crowley, chatting animatedly, and Castiel willed himself not to look up at him.

Charlie gazed at him in concern.

His eyes turned away as Dean went up the stairs to the second floor.

Castiel wondered what they were talking about.

***

"So, my first game's tonight," Dean said bluntly, settling down in a chair next to Lisa at the lunch table.

Lisa smiled at him softly, reassuringly touching his arm.

"Relax, you'll do wonderful for your first game. I'll be there to cheer you on too," she said, giving him a hopeful look.

Dean gave her a grin.

"You're right. Maybe I'm being too stressed," he said with a sigh. "I'm just pretty nervous. I just want to impress Crowley with my first game, y'know?"

"Yeah, I understand. You'll do amazing, Dean. I've seen you at the practices! You're one of the best," she said truthfully.

He smiled gratefully at her.

"You think so?" He questioned, taking her small, smooth hand in his.

"I know so," she said, squeezing his hand affectionately.

They had been dating for quite some time; ever since the try-outs. Dean was pretty happy being with her. The two of them had to be the most popular couple in school.

Everyone knew their names.

Spending time with Lisa was fun, but he was also pretty impatient- mostly because they would make out sometimes, but never really go past the second base. Lisa would always stop him. He was getting quite sexually frustrated. She was still a total babe though- and he was lucky to have her.

Dean sat back in his chair with a sigh, still holding Lisa's hand.

A tall figure suddenly swaggered past, and then paused. Alistair turned, and sent a smirk to Dean. He approached, and cleared his throat.

"So, I heard the big deal about you getting the position a week ago. Nice job kid. Though they really didn't do much to welcome you to the team, it might be a really fun, uh, what's the word... short time experience," he rasped out.

Dean cringed as Alistair firmly patted his shoulder. Alistair gave a long gaze at Lisa, and she stared back firmly. He gave her a smile, which was weird, and then grimaced when he looked back at Dean.

"Break a leg," Alistair hissed as he walked off.

 

The sick feeling in Dean's stomach worsened.

***

Castiel was browsing hurriedly through his dark closet, trying to find something to wear to the party. A nervous feeling bit at his stomach but an excited feeling bounced around in his heart. He was a little over eager.

Yet he had no idea what to wear.

Charlie lounged on his bed, staring at the ceiling. She gave a groan, stretching her limbs excessively. She seemed bored.

"Have you found something to wear yet?!" She whined."Or do you need some assistance? I know you're not very good at putting a shirt and pants together, or even anything fashion at all. You probably don't even have anything to wear at all."

Castiel gave a defeated sigh, and stood up straight. He looked at her, giving his best puppy-dog eyes.

"Help me," he pleaded feebly.

Charlie gave a bright laugh. She boosted herself up off the comfy bed, and crossed the room to the closet. She shuffled through the random clothes, humming to herself. She held a shirt and a pair of pants together, then shook her head disapprovingly. Her red curls bobbed. She tossed the pants aside- hitting Castiel in the face, and dug around in his jeans pile.

Castiel made a noise of protest as his hands scrabbled to pull the pants off his face.

"There!" Charlie said enthusiastically. She pushed a pair of jeans and the shirt from before into his arms. She dug through his shirts again, then crammed another article of clothing into his arms.

He gasped, his blue eyes widening.

"You'll look fabulous," Charlie announced as Cas scrambled to put the outfit on.

It was a tight white tank top, and a deep blue cottony button-up that matched his eyes. There was a dark pair of skinny jeans Castiel had never worn before too, and they were actually pretty nice. They hugged against the curves he never thought he had. Charlie gave a wolf whistle.

"Nice," she commented. "You look pretty good. Wait!"

She rushed over to his closet and went through it. 

"Put this on. It's your black tie. Ties are hot," she said firmly. 

He slipped it on, and tightened it. 

"Yeah, now you're lookin' sexy!" Charlie exclaimed. 

Castiel looked in the mirror, smiling as he ran a hand through his soft, messy dark hair. He did look pretty fantastic. He never had dressed like this before, ever. He usually believed in dressing nicely for every occasion.

But this was different. This was were he'd be relaxing and having a great time.

He grinned brightly into the mirror.

Charlie posed dramatically and sassily next to him, and then laughed childishly as Castiel playfully shoved her.

***

Dean sat on the bench in the locker room.

It was only 6 o'clock, the game started in a half an hour.

He was nervous.

Crazy nervous.

Like the hand-shaking, forehead-sweating kind of nervous. The butterflies in your stomach nervous. And it didn't help that it was really hot in the locker room.

Dammit.

Not only was this his first game, but he was afraid he would mess it up and Crowley would kick him off the team. Then he would be the school's embarrassment and failure. He didn't know if joining the team was the worst or best decision he'd ever made. He decided to go with the best decision, because it would give him some reassurance, even though it made him feel worse.

He had remembered all the decisions he'd made in the last few weeks he'd been to Lawrence Day. One problem always had nagged at his stomach.

Castiel.

He gave a sigh as he got dressed. He slowly moved, carefully taking his uniform out of his locker. He gazed at the ground, feeling a hole inside him he'd never felt in years. He hadn't felt that hole in him since his mom died. He knew he'd messed up so badly.

He always did.

And Castiel was so perfect in every way. Dean missed the soft smile Cas wore upon his gorgeous lips, and the way his beautiful blue eyes would twinkle in the light. He missed the ways Castiel moved about, all gentle and smooth. Sweetly. He missed the low, tender voice, whispering in his ear. Castiel was just the part of him that had always been absent.

It took him a second to realize.

He was in love with Castiel, and always had been.

He had so rudely shoved Cas away, like Castiel was nothing at all. He couldn't imagine how horrible Castiel must be feeling.

Dean had been inconsiderate and irrational. His heart was bitter. He feel like he betrayed Cas. He knew he did.

He wished he could take it all back. Make it all better again. He would've taken it all back, and said yes to Castiel. He would've leaned over and kissed him firmly, over and over repeatedly, in hopes of never losing him again. He would take Cas into his arms and hold him tightly. Dean would never give up on Castiel again.

He finished dressing with a sigh, and the team made their way out to the field.

As Dean walked out of the school and to the field, a thought rose up.

Maybe Castiel would be waiting out there in the stands. Waiting for him to come out and play. Cheering him on. Maybe he would wait for Dean in the bleachers after the game, and Dean would run up and take him into his tight embrace.

Maybe he would be waiting for Dean just like how Dean had been waiting for someone like Castiel all these years.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey! You like..........?   
> I'm so excited to write the next chapter. This chapter is sort like the "interlude." Like the moment straight before the punch.   
> Anyways, if I made mistakes feel free to point them out. XD  
> Please leave a comment or something... I get lonely sometimes. :D


	10. Cute Guys

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey! It's been a little while. This is a super long chapter, so I hope you are satisfied. :3  
> This does have sort of suggestive themes... So if you're flustered easily don't read it. Luckily many people have mastered reading smut with a straight face. I know I have ;D Also there are some OCs in here too. They probably won't appear again though.  
> But anyways, this was sort of my first time really writing smut... So please try to enjoy the average writing below. XD

At 7, it was already growing dark outside.

Castiel's heart beat wildly, in growing anticipation for the party.

Charlie was bouncing up and down, waiting for Castiel to finish getting ready. He had checked his hair in the mirror for the third time that night.

"Come on," Charlie urged. "Jo just texted me- she's waiting!"

She added an impatient sigh.

"You know, I really wonder if she actually told her mom she was going to a party," Castiel said.

"No, she probably didn't. Ellen would ground her until college. She probably just said she was going to the game with us or something like that," Charlie said simply. "What'd you tell Chuck and Becky?"

"Oh, they know I'm responsible- unlike Gabriel or Lucifer," Castiel said, smoothing his tie out. Charlie gave a chuckle. "But I told them I was going out with friends. It's not a lie, it's a half-truth. What about you?"

"Oh, my parents?" Charlie grinned maliciously. "They don't care."

Cas turned to grin at her, his lips spreading. He twisted to grab his car keys on his wooden bedside table. He straightened his tie, and crossed his room to the door.

"Well, then get moving, slow poke," he tossed back at her. "I wanna attend this party in style."

Charlie scoffed and hurried out the door after him. He rapidly went down the stairs, and crossed the red carpet of the foyer. The golden crystal chandelier dangled far above their heads as the two friends made their way to the door.

He opened it, and came out into the cool night air. He breathed a sigh of relief, and sent a grin at Charlie. Her eyes were lit up.

He unlocked his car, got in, and slammed the door shut. Charlie got in the opposite side, a bright smile on her face. She got her wallet out, leafed through it, and pulled out a ten.

Castiel gave her a confused look.

"Sometimes they ask you to bring a ten to help pay for liquor," she explained.

"I thought they were rich," Cas said, his nose scrunching up.

Charlie laughed, her head tilting back.

"Dude, they're college students," she said, as if that answered every question. "They need all the money they can get."

Castiel nodded. "I suppose. They'd need to pay for food and clothing and ga-"

"Would you just drive?!" Charlie exclaimed.

"Sorry," Castiel said sheepishly.

"No, I'm sorry, I'm just excited to go to this party," Charlie said, bouncing in her seat. Castiel sent her a huge grin. "I haven't really ever been to one."

"Me too," he said, and he pulled the clutch firmly. It was cool under his fingers as he pulled out of the large circle drive in front of the mansion.

Charlie stared out of the window, her thin lips spread into a smile that lit up her whole face. Cas drove down the street, car tires rolling down the road smoothly.

Charlie flipped on the radio, and she was delighted to find a good alternative station on at the moment. A very upbeat song finished, and another came on. Charlie squealed as the intro began.

_"Well, I will call you darling, and everything will be okay,"_ the radio played as powerful bass thrummed in the back. _"Cuz I know that I am yours and you are mine- doesn't matter anyway."_

Charlie began bobbing her hand, her body rocking to the beat.

Cas frowned, quizzical.

"What song is this?" He asked, glancing at Charlie whose face was lit up like the Fourth of July.

"It's 'Make You Mine.' By Public? I showed it to you once," Charlie said.

Castiel shook his head.

"I don't remember. I only really like it when you show me funny cat videos on YouTube," he said seriously.

Charlie laughed as Cas pulled up into another neighborhood.

The light of day was beginning to fade, and the streetlights were starting to dimly shine. Castiel spotted Jo's house, and pulled into the driveway, parking his car.

Charlie frowned. "I wanted to honk the horn," she whined.

"No." Castiel grinned at her mockingly. "You are going to go to the door and get Jo like a proper lady."

Charlie halted, glaring at him. She looked infuriated, but a red blush spread rapidly across her cheeks. "Fine," she grumbled reluctantly. "I will, only cuz you're too lazy to get her."

Castiel let out a noise of protest, his mouth dropping open. Charlie snickered, getting out of the car and slamming the door shut. Cas grinned wickedly at her and jokingly locked the car doors. She gave him a look of mock horror, then rolled her eyes. They crinkled at the corners as she smiled.

She continued, making a show as she went up the stairs, walking like a spaz. She straightened out, and rang the doorbell, poking it with her slim finger. Jo opened the door, and turned to shout something back into the house that Cas couldn't hear. Charlie was doubling over with laughter.

They hurried down the stairs unsteadily, laughing. Jo opened the backseat door, and piled in, gasping. Charlie got back in on the passenger side.

"So what excuse did you use on your mom?" Castiel asked. Jo sat up, pushing her soft blond hair back. Her light, fluffy curls fell back to her shoulders.

"Oh. I told her I was going to a party," Jo said. Charlie stopped laughing, and both she and Cas turned in their car seats to stare at Jo with wide eyes.

"You bein' legit?" Charlie said, her mouth dropped open.

"No," Jo said impatiently. "Now step on it!"

Cas started the car, and zipped out of the drive. They drove down the road, music playing at a slightly loud level. It was making the car vibrate a little.

"I'mma be ready to have some shots!" Charlie sang, but not along with the music. "I'm gonna get crazy!"

Jo laughed, adjusting her black jacket. She was sporting a maroon tank top that stuck close to her slim figure.

The car pulled into the campus, and Castiel twisted the wheel to turn into the street with frat houses lined down it with nicely kept trees. There were quite a few cars parked up and down the boulevard. There was a huge frat house lit up, and Castiel could faintly feel the beat from the distantly played music pulsing through his chest.

"Here it is," Castiel said nervously.

"Let's go!" Charlie nearly screeched.

Cas pulled into a spot, and parked the car across the street. Charlie almost kicked the door open, and got out, her hair wild.

Jo got out, staring at the house. "A few of my older friends are some of the hosts," Jo said. "They're probably waiting for us. They said they couldn't wait to meet you."

Charlie's eyes narrowed suspiciously at "older friends," but she followed Jo across the street.

Castiel took his keys, locked the car, and shoved them deep into his pocket. He jogged over where Jo was waiting.

"Come on," she urged, motioning with her hand. She went to the door, and opened it. Lights flashed from the interior, and Castiel felt his heartbeat increase. He and Charlie entered, gazing around.

There were a lot of people, drinking from cups and dancing to the catchy electronic song that was radiating around them. The bass thrummed in Cas's chest, and felt powerful and amazing. Jo followed in after them, and they made their way through the dark halls lit faintly with colored lights bursting from other rooms. Jo strolled into another room, and the lights were on.

Castiel squinted for a second while his eyes adjusted.

It was a nice looking kitchen, with all stainless steel appliances. There was barstools lined against a raised marble counter, and sitting behind them was all types of liquor and hard drinks. Castiel observed that there was plenty of beer, there was more than the other drinks.

Two guys and a girl stood behind the counter, and bright smiles stuck onto their lips when Jo walked in.

"Hey, Jo," the girl with dark raven colored hair said.

"Hey, Lana," Jo said, smiling at the girl, who was leaning against the smooth counter.

Castiel studied the two guys.

One had long, tousled chocolate colored hair that fell into his dark eyes. He was a little lanky looking but still very handsome. He was gazing at Lana, who was catching up with Jo. The other boy had short spiky blond hair, with a perfect jawline and a muscled chest- as Castiel saw through his tight black shirt. His eyes were bright and a fierce electric blue.

Castiel stared.

"Uh, so who're your two friends?" Lana interrupted Castiel's drooling towards the blond boy, who was prepping drinks, his muscles stretching.

"This is Charlie and Castiel," Jo introduced.

The blond boy looked up. "Castiel?" He questioned, looking at Castiel. He had a smooth, slightly lower voice. It sent shivers racing up Cas's body.

He nodded slowly.

"Pretty name."

"Uh, thank you," Cas stuttered out. Why wasn't his mouth working correctly?! He tried to focus on getting words out. "What's yours?"

"Oh, uh, Seth," he said, glancing back at Castiel with his head still lowered. A small, slight smirk spread across his perfect lips, and it was absolutely hot. Castiel felt his face flush slightly.

"Hi," he said nervously.

"Hey," Seth answered, adding straight white teeth to that sexy smile. Castiel stared, entranced. "Would you like a drink?"

"Um, sure... I don't really know what's good though. Just um, make whatever's good," Castiel said with a shrug, as he claimed a bar stool. It gave him a better view of Seth, anyways. And the view improved when Seth turned away to get ingredients from the fridge, and Cas got a look at his gorgeous ass. It was amazingly shaped, and muscular. He stared for a second, and then tore his eyes away when Seth turned back around.

"Do you like sweet drinks?" Seth asked, gazing at him intently.

"Uh, yeah, sure." Castiel shrugged.

"Okay," Seth said with a nod. He started adding a strange mix of ingredients into a mixer, and turning it on. As he waited, he glanced at Castiel. Cas was staring out towards the hallway, listening to the distant talking, laughing and pounding music.

"Don't worry," Seth reassured with a grin. "You'll be out there soon, dancing and asking for more drinks."

Cas offered a light laugh. "I've never been to a party, even on a college campus," he said simply, tugging at his silky tie.

"Well, then let's make this one a good one for you," Seth said, as he filled a cocktail glass with a smooth dark amber liquid. Castiel stared intensely, watching his movements.

"What exactly do you do at parties?" Castiel asked, tilting his head.

"Talk, drink, dance," Seth said. He wiggled his eyebrows.

"Experiment."

"What?!" Cas said, appalled.

Seth laughed, flashing shining teeth. He rested his elbows on the counter, leaning slightly towards Cas, who was gazing at him with aqua blue eyes. "You know, try out a few people. Kiss, make out, dance together, get hammered, maybe have a nice solid fuck," Seth said, like it was an average thing to do. "Some people like to go upstairs sometimes to shoot up or smoke. We allow it, as long as they clean it up."

He gave a loose shrug.

"Wow," Cas said, his mouth dropped open slightly.

"It's awesomely fun. Sometimes groups play games, like pretty intense rounds of Truth or Dare. They mostly do dares, cuz they're horny and crazy little shits," he said with a chuckle.

"It does sound fun." Cas grinned at Seth. Seth gently set the cocktail glass in front of Cas.

"Here is your drink." His voice drawled. Cas took the chilled glass, and took a sip. The liquid was slightly thick, and slipped down his throat with a satisfying cold burn. His eyes watered slyly.

"Oh my god," he choked out. "It's strong, but amazing."

He took another gulp, licking his lips a little. Seth suddenly leaned forward, took Castiel's tie in his fingers and pulled Cas towards him. Castiel felt Seth's lips press against his own, and his eyes widened. Seth kissed him powerfully a few times, and pulled away.

Castiel stared, astonished.

"I wanted a taste," Seth said smugly, licking his lips too.

"You could've just took my glass," Cas spluttered.

"But that wouldn't've been any fun," Seth whined slightly, beaming at Cas.

"Fuck you," Castiel hissed, blushing brightly but not really angry. He almost kind of... enjoyed it. Seth let out a joyful laugh, and exited the room.

Cas looked towards the other four.

Jo looked confused, and Lana and Charlie looked amused. Charlie's eyebrows were raised.

"He tends to do that a lot," Lana said. "He gets friendly fast- that's what I call it."

"Oh," Cas whispered, with another blush. He took a sip of his drink again, and glanced at Charlie.

"Get a drink and let's go dance," Cas said, sliding off the leather barstool. Charlie strolled over, and grabbed herself a cold beer, and popped the lid off easily.

Jo's eyebrows shot up.

"Let's go," Charlie breathed out after she took a swig.

"Alright," Castiel giggled.

The two headed out together, going to the large main room of the house. Music was blaring when they casually stepped in, and students were dancing, and chatting. Castiel observed their loose actions, a few were already intoxicated by alcohol, and by the enticing music. Cas spotted Seth talking to a few people next the wall, taking a large gulp from his cup.

"Come on," Castiel said to Charlie over the music, and went over to Seth. Seth turned to Cas, and a sweet smile graced his face.

"Hello. Enjoying your drink?" He asked, looking amused.

"Yes I am. Would you like another taste?" He asked, trying to lightly apply a sense of flirtation to his voice. Seth caught on pretty quick, and sent Castiel a hot, wicked grin.

"No. It's a little too strong for me," he said. Castiel lightly shoved him, making sure they didn't spill their drinks.

"You're a fucking tease," Cas spat playfully.

"I know," Seth said gleefully, his eyes sparking. Cas could already feel the drink beginning to loosen his tongue and his words. Alcohol worked too easily on him, to his embarrassment. He took a long drink of his cocktail anyways.

"What's in this?" Castiel asked.

"Um, Amaretto, Grand Marnier, Southern Comfort and vodka," Seth said, gazing at the nearly finished drink. "Also some fruit juices"

"I-it's amazing," Cas mumbled. Seth stood up straight, setting his drink down.

"Put your drink down and dance with me," he said, taking Cas's cocktail anyways, and putting it on the table next to his own.

"What do you have?" Castiel asked, peering into Seth's cup.

"Beer. It's kinda strong," Seth said, shrugging, lacing his fingers around Cas's wrist. Castiel took Seth's cup and held it to his lips, finishing off the rest that was in the glass, gulping it down to soothe his parched throat. Seth stared at him, his eyes wide at first. Then his eyelids lowered, giving Cas a sly look.

"Dance with me," he drawled.

"Okay," Cas agreed.

Seth led him to the middle of the spacious room, where many people where already dancing. Cas began to rock his hips, moving right along. Seth grinned encouragingly, nodding. Cas moved his shoulders fluidly, bending his arms and holding them above his head, moving with the beat. His whole body was vibrating with passion and excitement, and sparks trailed across his body when Seth took his hips.

"Move with me," Seth hissed in his ear, very close. Castiel almost thought he could feel a slight nip on his earlobe. He shuddered. They moved together smoothly, Seth's hips rocking against Cas's. Seth's hands slipped down his waist, trailing against Cas's ass. Cas let out a small, choked breath, his hands pressing firmly into Seth's back, desperately pulling him closer. They were pressed flush against each other, moving smoothly together as one. Cas's eyes never left Seth, he was focusing on the moves Seth was doing and the intense feeling Seth was giving him. His hands repeatedly ran down the smooth, soft fabric of Seth's dark, tight cotton shirt. Castiel was gasping slightly in frustration, feeling blood rushing and his head was pounding. He just wanted to touch Seth, everywhere. Get the shirt off Seth's body because he felt like it didn't belong there.

Seth's electric eyes were lustful, his dark pupils blown wide, and his skin was hot against Cas's. Cas's heart pounded in his chest so powerfully he feared Seth might hear it over the pulsing music that was making his body vibrate. His breathing got heavy as Seth rocked against him, his hands on Cas's hips. Cas's fingers slipped against Seth's shoulders.

There was a sudden laughter.

Both Seth and Cas hesitated, glancing over. There was a group forming in the other room. Charlie , Jo, Lana and the brunet boy from earlier were there too.

Seth let out a breath.

"I think they're starting Truth or Dare," he said. "Want to play?"

"Okay." Castiel was slightly disappointed to stop dancing, because all of the touching was driving him up the walls and sending sparks through his veins. But he knew Truth or Dare would be fun.

The two boys headed over, Seth grinning faintly. Castiel was still breathless from dancing. His head spun.

"Hey," Charlie greeted. "Enjoy dancing time with Mr. Flirts-A-Lot?" Castiel laughed, nodding. His thirst- for a drink and for Seth- had definitely grown.

"I need a drink," he groaned. Seth looked at him.

"I'll go make you one," he offered kindly, smiling.

"I'll come with you. I don't need you slipping something 'special' in," Castiel teased with a slight slur to his voice.Seth grinned delightedly.

"Alright. Let's go pretty boy," he said, his hand taking Cas's tie, his fingers slipping through the fabric.

"Okay," Cas giggled.

They made their way to the kitchen, weaving through people chatting or making out in the hall. Castiel didn't mind. They stepped into the kitchen, and Cas groaned at the bright light. Seth laughed, and went to the fridge. He pulled out a jug, and two bottles. Castiel sat back on the barstool, and gazed around.

Surprisingly the kitchen was empty. He was grateful it was.

He turned his head back to Seth, who was measuring and putting liquid ingredients into the mixer. He stood, and went to go stand by Seth, watching. Seth added a splash of vodka to the mix, and Castiel smugly grinned, and tipped the bottle over just a bit, so more spilled into the mixer. Seth raised his eyebrows, but accepted it. Castiel tilted his head, and his fingers brushed Seth's jaw, turning Seth's head towards him. Seth gazed at him, distracted. Cas licked his lips, letting out a breath.

"Dancing with you earlier was the most fun I've ever had," he said softly, lowering his hand. Seth eyed Cas, resting a hand on Cas's hip. Cas leaned against the counter, and pulled Seth flush against him, gripping Seth's muscular arms. Seth's breath caught in his throat, and he leaned forward tentatively. Castiel's hand slipped around Seth's neck, and he pulled Seth down to meet his begging lips. Seth's lips tasted of sweet beer, and Castiel kissed him with a fiery passion that arose out of nowhere. Seth groaned into Cas's mouth, his hands gripping the counter. His hips pushed forward slightly, pressing Cas into the counter.

Cas felt so satisfied- he was finally able to get his lips on Seth.

His arms wrapped around Seth's neck, pulling him in. Seth kissed him powerfully, his hands running up Cas's body, exploring. Cas moaned, and Seth's tongue begged for entrance into Cas's mouth. Cas let his tongue slip in, and their kisses became slick and wanting. Cas began to grind his hips against Seth's, his hands snaking around Seth's waist, and Seth pulled away, gasping.

"Oh my god, baby," he hissed, grabbing Castiel and lifting him to sit on the cold marble.

Contact.

Castiel wanted more contact.

Seth pulled him closer, standing right against the counter. Cas was forced to spread his legs in order to fit against Seth, but he didn't mind at all. Seth's hips drove into him, leaving Cas panting. Seth's hands pressed into Cas's back, and he began to kiss Cas's neck, licking small little stripes up his warm skin. Cas moaned, tipping his head back. Seth nipped at Cas's neck, sucking lightly.

"I-I want your," Cas choked out breathlessly. "I want your shirt off now."

Seth kissed the spot where he had bit, grinning. "Sorry, babe. It only comes off if sex is guaranteed," he drawled, drawing away from Castiel's neck. Castiel groaned, gripping onto Seth's shirt. He longed to say sex was probably guaranteed, but didn't.

"Please?" Castiel pleaded slightly. He was so extremely horny his head spun.

"Let me make your drink, Castiel," Seth said, grinning affectionately down at Cas. Cas sulked, really wishing he could just rip Seth's shirt off. He ignored the thought, and tried to focus on some sort of conversation like they just hadn't made out.

"So how old are you?" Cas asked.

"I'm 20," he said, prepping Cas's drink. "I just started college this year."

"Oh. I'm 17. What are you studying?" Cas questioned, curious.

"Uh," Seth started, blushing, and turning the mixer on. "It's nerdy."

"What?" Cas prompted.

"Physics," Seth said, lowering his eyes. "I'm focusing on this school, mostly because my uncle pretty much owns this college, and I want to get a grant from him to go to a better one."

"Smart," Cas commented. "Physics isn't bad at all. I like science too."

Seth gave him a smile, turning the mixer off. The drink was almost a maroon color, but had a bright golden gleam to it. It was thinner, it didn't have as much viscosity as the last drink. Seth poured it into another glass, and handed it to Cas.

"Thank you," Cas said, giving Seth a little smile. He took a long drink, and sighed as moisture returned to his throat. It burned his throat, but he felt amazing. Seth gazed at him, chewing persistently at his lip, and looked back towards the hallway.

"We should go. They're probably going to start playing now," Seth said finally. Castiel nodded, sipping his drink.

"Yeah, true," he agreed. "Let's go." As they walked out, Seth let Castiel head down the hallway in front of him, but a hand rested right in the crook of his back, by his hips. Castiel shuddered slightly, and sent a reassuring grin back to Seth.

The two headed over to the group, who were lounging around on couches in another room, one that was lit a little brighter. Cas felt Seth's hand slip away from his back, and felt a little disappointed. The couches were a dark purple, and looked extremely comfortable. Cas settled down onto one, satisfied as he sunk into it. He held his drink carefully, trying not to break the fragile glass. Seth sat down close to him, grinning at Lana and the other boy.

"Let's play!" Charlie said excitedly.

The group was just Lana, Seth, Seth's friend, Jo, Charlie, Castiel, and another girl with light brown hair.

"Alright," Seth said, leaning forward. "Lana, you start." Lana's pink lips spread into a smile, and her eyes darted to Charlie.

"Charlie," she purred, tossing her dark hair behind her shoulders. "Truth or Dare?"

Charlie shifted in her seat, blushing. "Truth," she stuttered out.

"Hm." Lana thought for a moment. "Have you done anything illegal?"

"Uh... sort of?" Charlie said, blushing and shrugging.

"What did you do?" Lana urged.

"Umm... I might've stolen a few packages of Ramen Noodles a year or two ago from a store," Charlie said sheepishly. "So far they haven't noticed."

The group burst out laughing.

Castiel blushed brightly. He was there when Charlie took them. She had shoved two into the back of her shirt and tucked it in, and snuck out the back of the store, amazingly not getting caught. He never really knew her intention.

"I was hungry. My stomach was making the rumblies that only Ramen could satisfy," Charlie whined, making Seth and the others laugh more.

Jo was grinning hugely, looking glad to see her friends were getting along well with the others.

"Okay, Charlie, your turn," Lana breathed out. "Hey, can we make the game a little dirty too?"

"Yeah, let's do it!" Seth said eagerly.

"Hmm... Seth. Truth or Dare?" Charlie asked.

"Dare," Seth challenged. Charlie thought for a second, and smirked evilly. She turned, and dug through her Coach bag that she carried constantly. She pulled out a dark red lipstick, and handed it to him. "I want you to give this to the person you like most in this game, and have them apply it on you. Then you have to wear it for the rest of the game," Charlie challenged. Seth blushed, but he fought to keep a straight face.

"Cruel," Seth's friend hissed.

"Okay," he said, accepting the lipstick. He popped it open, and gave it to Cas. "Castiel, do you mind?"

Charlie's mouth fell open.

Cas's face flushed, and he took the lipstick. The group laughed mockingly as Cas carefully applied the dark red color to Seth's lips. He bit his lip to keep himself from laughing.

"Seth you look like quite the drag queen," Seth's friend commented, snickering.

"Shut up, Ty," Seth shot back.

Seth's friend, Ty, grinned slyly. 

"My turn," Seth growled, grinning maliciously through glossed lips. "Ty...."

"Dare!" Ty said enthusiastically. Seth paused, and turned to Cas.

"Castiel, may I borrow your tie?" Seth asked politely.

"Sure," Castiel said, grinning at the sight of Seth's red lips. He loosened his tie, and handed it over. Seth took it, and went over, wrapping it around Ty's head so it covered his eyes.

"What is my dare?" Ty asked.

"I'm going to make you stand, and send two people over. You're going to figure out who they by only...touching them," Seth drawled, knotting the tie.

Ty blushed red, biting his lip. "Fine," he murmured. Seth led him to the side and headed over.

"Lana, go," Seth whispered softly so Ty didn't hear. Lana stood, looking embarrassed. She went over, and stood in front of Ty, awkwardly.

"Go, Ty. Don't harass them," Seth mocked.

"Shut the fuck up," Ty snapped playfully, blushing. He rested a hand on Lana's shoulder carefully, and ran a hand down her arm. He took her hand, and laced her fingers through his.

"It's a girl," he observed blindly.

"Yeah, cuz if it was a guy that action woulda been awkward," Seth hissed to the group. They laughed loudly, and Ty blushed, unknowing. His hands travelled down her hips, and Lana bit her lower lip. Ty moved up to her head, gently touching her facial features.

"Only touch, right?" Ty asked.

"Only no looking," Seth said. "And the girl can't talk."

Ty's hand lightly touched Lana's lips, and he suddenly kissed her. She let out a sigh of defeat, like she had lost, kissing Ty back for a moment. Everyone's eyes were wide.

"It's Lana," Ty said instantly after pulling away. "You said only touching, so a kiss counts."

"Dude," Seth said with a strangled voice. "How could you tell?! Is there something you aren't telling me?"

"No," Ty said, shrugging.

Seth blinked, looking slightly confused and suspicious. "Okay, sure," he said.

Lana sat down, her cheeks a hot pink color.

"Alright. Amy?" Seth said quietly, turning to the other girl with the light brown curls.

"Yeah?" She asked softly.

"Go up, slap Ty's ass, then we'll all leave the room and wait for him to notice," Seth hissed. Castiel snickered, taking a long drink from his glass. Amy confidently strode up, and gave a firm slap to Ty's ass. He jumped, letting out a surprised yelp, and they hurried out of the room, giggling like a bunch of little kids.

"Guys? What the hell was that?" Ty's concerned and pained voice called from the room. "Guys?"

A few minutes later, Ty peered out into the hall, a confused look in his eyes. "Guys, what the fuck," Ty said. Everyone was laughing as they gathered back into the room. "Who freaking slapped my gorgeous ass?"

"Don't tell him. Let him figure it out," Seth announced. Ty looked offended, but grinned, handing Cas's tie back. "Your turn, Ty."

"Alright," Ty said. "Jo, Truth or Dare?"

"Eek, Dare," Jo said, a frightened look spreading across her face. "No, no, wait I take it back! Truth!"

Ty grinned wickedly. "Too late," Ty sang.

"Dammit," Jo whispered.

"Jo...," Ty started, looking at Charlie, who strangely had pleading eyes. "I want you to kiss someone here of the same gender as you. On the lips."

Jo's eyes went wide.

"And if you don't do it... I'll make you do something worse," Ty warned.

"So I choose?" Jo asked tentatively.

"Yup," Ty said, grinning at Charlie. She looked extremely grateful, as if they'd planned it all along. Cas wondered what would happen if Jo chose Lana or Amy instead, but he knew Jo would go with Charlie.

"Alight, Charlie, come here," Jo said with a sigh. Charlie got up, hiding her eagerness. She went over, and grinned.

"Lay it on me, girl," Charlie said. Jo hesitated, and leaned forward, kissing Charlie quickly and firmly. Charlie pulled away slightly. Jo swore under her breath softly. Charlie looked absolutely blissed out. Lana smirked.

"Did you convert her to your bisexual world Charlie?" Lana asked with a smug look.

"Bitch, I'm lesbian," Charlie said, sassily snapping her fingers.

"Damn," was the only thing Jo could say. Castiel grinned. Charlie had most likely finally gotten what she wanted- which was Jo.

"Alright," Ty said, smirking at Charlie, who looked delighted. "Your turn, Jo."

"Cas! Truth or Dare?!" Jo said. Castiel sat back.

"Uh, truth," he said, taking the easier road. He would do a dare the next time he was called out.

"What sexual situation sounds most interesting to you?" Jo questioned. The group seemed to collectively lean forward in interest. Seth tried to pretend he didn't care, but listened intently. Cas blushed.

"Um, maybe a dominatrix. But a guy instead," Cas whispered, chewing at his lip.

"Ooooh," Charlie said. "Spicy!"

Castiel laughed, easing up a little more.

"Your turn, Castiel," Seth said.

"Alright," Castiel said, gazing around. "Amy, Truth or Dare?"

"Truth," she said.

"Okay.... Is it true you slapped Ty on the ass when he was blindfolded?" Cas asked, smirking. The group let out a collective gasp.

"Yes," Amy said, looking a little ashamed.

"Holy shit! Really?" Ty said incredulously. Amy nodded.

"Yup. You've got a nice ass. Very firm," she said with a smirk. Ty reddened, and everyone cracked up.

"Damn, I'm thirsty," Seth said. "I'm gonna grab a cooler with some beers. Be right back. Continue playing."

He got up and left, and Castiel finished off his drink. Ty snickered. "He's gonna be wandering around with red lipstick," Ty snorted.

"Oh my god, I forgot!" Charlie started laughing, her whole body shaking.

"Oh yeah, Amy, it's your turn," Cas said suddenly. Amy sat up.

"Hmm... Lana, Truth or Dare?" Amy asked.

"Truth," Lana challenged.

"Let's see..," Amy purred. "Lana, are you in love with Ty?" Lana's smirk disappeared. Ty's cheeks burned. Lana looked up, a confident smile hitching back onto her face.

"Yeah," she said. "I am."

Everyone froze, waiting for Ty's reaction. His eyes were shocked, his mouth open a little in an incredulous way. "Your turn, Lana," Amy sang.

Seth suddenly returned, adjusting his shirt, carrying a cooler. His red lipstick was gone, but it seemed like Cas was the only one who realized it had disappeared. His lips looked a little raw from scrubbing it off.

"Hmm," Lana said, gazing at Cas and Seth. "I want to see a certain something happen."

"What?" Seth questioned, setting down the small cooler. "See what happen?"

"Seth, Truth or Dare?"

"Dare," Seth said confidently. "You should know I always choose dare."

Cas leaned forward and dug through the cooler, pulling out and icy, dripping beer bottle.

"That's all part of the plan. I want you and Cas to do 7 Minutes in Heaven," Lana said, staring at the two guys. Castiel was in the middle of gulping down the bottle of beer. He never choked on the cold liquid. His skin heated up instantly.

"Alright," Seth challenged. "We'll do it. Come on, Cas." Seth reached towards Cas and took his hand, leading him away.

The two went up a set of stable wooden stairs, Cas stumbling slightly. Seth went down the dark hall and looked around for a closet to use. There was none in sight.

Cas persistently pulled Seth into an empty, nice bedroom.

"Here," Castiel slurred a little. Seth had a concerned face on. Cas stumbled a little. Seth held his arms tightly, gripping Castiel firmly to assure that Cas would stay upright. Cas pulled him over to the bed, and collapsed, his heading resting on the plushy mattress. Cas leaned up and tugged Seth's arms, pulling him down too. Seth's breath quickened. Cas laid on his back, his knees bent and feet resting on the bed. Seth was on all fours, between Cas's legs.

"Kiss me," Cas pleaded. "Kiss me please."

He felt very drunk, his mind going haywire as he felt his mouth try to shape words. His hands descended to Seth's hips. Seth groaned and gave in when Cas's hand ghosted over the front of Seth's jeans zipper. He leaned down, kissing Cas firmly and deeply, his tongue already dipping into the younger guy's mouth. Cas moaned, sucking on Seth's tongue and kissing him back with fervor. Castiel took Seth's shoulders, and they both were rolled over by one fluid motion. Castiel straddled Seth's hips, grinding his hips into Seth's. Seth let out a lustful moan of longing. Castiel traced the large bulge in the front of Seth's jeans with his finger, and Seth gave an involuntary shudder. Cas ground his hips into it, and Seth gave a start.

"Oh fuck!" He swore. A mocking smile played on Cas's lips. Blood rushed through Cas's veins, and his heart pounded. His fingers hesitantly slid up Seth's shirt, and Seth had a clear, unsure expression.

"Castiel, don't do something you'll regret later," Seth said uneasily. Cas breathed heavily.

"So is that it? You don't want me?" Cas asked innocently, grinding his hips expertly again. Seth let out a small cry, pushing his own hips up against Cas.

"No, no, no, baby I do really want you," Seth groaned out, the sound pure sweetness in Cas's ears. A delighted look spread across his face, and he pulled Seth's shirt off gently but eagerly. He nearly drooled at the sight of Seth's well muscled chest and abs. He traced his fingers up the flushed skin, entranced. Seth sat up, resting on his knees, and boosted Castiel around his hips. His pupils were blown so wide, only a ring of electric blue shone in the faint light. He tasted Castiel's neck heavily, biting softly and licking small stripes that turned cold against the air.

"Do you want me to treat you rough?" He whispered huskily, with a voice that sent shivers sprinting up Cas's body.

"Yes," Castiel breathed. "But just be a little careful."

"I will," Seth said, sounding confident. "I'll treat you good, baby. Better than anyone else has."

Seth repeatedly pushed his hips up into Cas, leaving Cas breathing erratically. Seth's finger's worked quickly, undoing Cas's dark blue shirt. His hands slid underneath Cas's white tank top, sliding up his chest, just feeling everywhere. Cas leaned down and kissed Seth powerfully, his tongue dipping in and out of Seth's mouth. Seth moaned sensually into it, kissing Cas harder. His hands squeezed the muscles of Cas's back. Seth pulled away, gasping for air. He dove back in, pressing Castiel's body tighter against his.

"Seth! Fuck!" Cas cried out. Seth's teeth nipped at his jawline.

"That's the plan, baby," he assured. Cas let out a satisfied "mm."

"Take your shirt off," Seth ordered, lowering his voice.

Suddenly there was a knock on the door, and Cas froze. "Fucking cockblock, dammit!" Seth shouted. There was laughter on the other side of the closed door.

"Your seven minutes are up," Lana's voice announced cheerfully.

"Go!" Seth said, annoyed but slightly smiling. Castiel heard faded footsteps, and turned to Seth.

"Please continue," Castiel begged drunkenly, his hands gripping Seth. Seth looked uncertain.

"I don't think this is a good idea anymore, Castiel," Seth whispered, his hands dropping to rest on Cas's hips loosely. "Time's up anyways."

"Come on, Seth. It'll be my first time, and it'll be amazing," Cas pleaded, rocking up against Seth.

Seth looked surprised.

"You're a virgin?!" Seth exclaimed. Cas sat back, getting gently off Seth. "But- you're so good! You seem used to it!"

Cas frowned, tilting his head. "I didn't know that was a problem," he said calmly, but gazing at Seth with confused and innocent blue eyes.

"It isn't!" Seth stuttered. "I just don't want to hurt you."

"I won't be hurt," Cas said, shaking his head. "Besides, this is what I wanted!"

Seth let out a laugh, which infuriated Cas.

"Castiel, a guy like you would not come to a party with the pure intention of getting fucked," Seth said, shaking his head.

"A guy like me...?" Cas trailed off. "You know nothing about me!"

"Exactly!" Seth shot back. "And you don't know me!"

There was a bitter realization in Cas's mind. This was a full blown argument. There was no going back. "I'm just going to leave," Cas said stubbornly.

"Come on, Castiel, stay please. You didn't come here just to have sex. Stay and have a few drinks, dance, have fun. Please, baby," Seth urged.

"No," Cas said. He got up, his tie swinging. He stumbled a little to the door, and Seth hurried over to help him out.

"Stay back," Cas snarled, opening the door. His head was pounding and spinning, and there was an intense pressure building in his chest. He went hurriedly down the stairs, and went to go find Charlie. He staggered over to her, and dug into his pocket. He slapped the car keys into her hand.

"Cas? What are you doing?" Charlie asked, turning away from talking to Jo.

"I'm going home," Cas said blankly. "I'mma walk. Clear my head."

Charlie gave him an absurd look. "Cas that'll take you almost an hour!" She exclaimed.

"I don't care. I just want to be alone," Cas said unintelligibly. "I'll have my phone anyways." Charlie looked hesitant, but didn't seem convinced. "I'll be fine," Cas sighed.

"Okay...," Charlie said.

Castiel turned, and went down the dark hallway. Seth was standing at the door, looking worried. "Please baby. Let me at least drive you home," Seth said quickly.

Castiel opened the door, and sighed irritatedly.

"Fuck. Off," Cas said firmly, and slammed the door shut.

***

Dean drove down the dark street, his headlights on. He was humming to Styx's "Babe," as the car zoomed down the road.

The game had gone fantastically. They'd won, and Dean loved the feeling of energy and enthusiasm at the end, as the fans erupted with cheering. Lisa had run onto the field in her cheer uniform and kissed him afterwards too, so that was also fantastic.

Suddenly a figure flashed into view on the road. The familiar person was walking a little unstably with their head down. Dean realized who it was. Castiel? Dean slowed the car, pulled up, and leaned over, cranking down the passenger side window.

"Cas!" He said loudly. Cas turned, looking pitiful but annoyed. He squinted in the bright headlights.

"What?" He snapped impatiently, and Dean winced.

"What are you doing?"

"Walking home," Cas said like it was obvious.

"Dude, it's like thirty minutes to your house," Dean said incredulously. He sighed. "Get in the car, I'll drive you home."

"No," was the only thing Cas said.

"Cas!" Dean said with a strained voice. "Please get in. You are seriously going to walk for thirty minutes to your house?"

"Yes," Cas said stubbornly.

"Why?" Dean asked.

"Cuz I don't want a ride. Not with you," Cas whined.

"It's better than walking for thirty minutes," Dean pointed out.

He felt slight satisfaction when Cas hesitated.

"Fine," Cas sighed. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So...did you lovelies like it?  
> Please leave a kudo or a comment- I get lonely. Say how you liked the chapter, or maybe write some random gibberish for me to laugh my butt off at.   
> Anyways, thank you so much guys! I love the support. :)


	11. Demise

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this is an extremely super duper short chapter but enjoy... :)

Cas was absolutely silent. Awkwardness hung in the air as Dean tapped on the steering wheel. He kept giving side glances to Cas, who had his face turned away, towards the passenger side window. Dean cleared his throat, even though there really wasn't anything to clear.

"So, I didn't see you at the game. I looked through the stands but you weren't there," Dean said offhandedly.

He remembered not being able to find Cas in the many faces of the crowd. He remembered being extremely discouraged to see that the ocean blue eyes weren't there to watch him.

Cas gave a loud, disbelieving scoff, still gazing out of the window.

"You seriously looked for me?" Cas sounded as if it was the most pathetic thing Dean had ever done.

"Yeah, I did," Dean said firmly. Cas shook his head, his arms shifting to cross tightly.

"Whatever," Cas said, sounding bothered.

"What, do you not believe me?!" Dean demanded, quickly regretting the snappy tone to his voice.

"Yes, I don't believe you!" Cas instantly spat out, whipping his head to face Dean, his eyes angrily glinting in the faint light emitting from outside. Dean shook his head, keeping his eyes on the road.

"And why not?" He said tiredly.

"Because you hurt my feelings and now I don't trust you," Cas almost whined out. Dean gave him an incredulous look.

"What are we Cas, four?! What the hell did I do to you?!" Dean nearly threw his hands up in exhaustion, but he remembered he was driving.

"You pushed me away, that's what! I offered myself completely to you, and you just pushed me away!" Cas said angrily, sounding truly upset.

"Well, I had only just met you!" Dean protested. "You expected me to lay everything down on the line for you?!"

Cas rolled his eyes, glaring viciously at Dean, who wasn't looking at him.

"No! You didn't have to! Dammit, Dean! I just wanted to love you!" Cas spat out randomly.

"What?!" Dean exclaimed, turning to Cas for a second to give him a shocked look. "Why love me?!"

"Because," Cas sniffed out. "I knew you never got love from others, so I was offering you mine. But you didn't want it."

Dean fell silent, and Cas turned away again, positioning his arms in way that looked like he was hugging himself for comfort. Frustrated tears were ready to spill out onto his cheeks. A hard lump had lodged itself in his throat, and he tried to clear it desperately.

Dean gripped the steering wheel, staring out to the road. "Dammit, Cas...," he whispered, his voice growing soft. "Dammit, I do want it. I can't help it. I shove people away, I'm sorry." Cas gave a slight sniff.

"Thank you for your apology," he said, his voice a little unstable. He let his deep blue eyes flicker to the slightly scratched dashboard. "But I'm sorry too, because I'm no longer offering my love anymore. It's not worth the constant pain."

Dean was absolutely silent as lights approached in the distance. They were nearing the town, and Cas was grateful. The faster he was out of that car, and the faster he saw it pulling away from his house, the happier he'd be.

"Cas...," Dean started, taking in a shaky breath. "I'm so sorry. I wish I could take it all back. I would beg you to give me back your love but I won't ask you to do that anymore because I know it hurts you. There hasn't been a person like you in my life so that must mean I got lucky somewhere. You, Cas, you're just..."

Dean trailed off, silence ringing around them. Cas stared expectantly at him.

"You're... beautiful. I mean, I look into your eyes and I see something more beautiful than the stars, the moon, and the sky. I want to be yours, and yours forever. I want to be able to call you mine and smile when you call me yours. I want to hold you tight in my arms while we sleep in my bed together and never let go- until morning comes. I want to look over at you and know that I love you. Forever and for always."

Cas was breathless, feeling empty and shocked as he stared at Dean, his blue eyes wide.

"You love me?" He asked feebly.

Dean stared at him, his eyes kind and sweet. A small smile spread across his face.

"I always have and I always will," Dean said quietly. His eyes were lit with a soft happiness Cas had never seen before. Dean's eyes flickered down, noticing something. Cas's black tie was completely twisted around.

"Dude, your tie is backwards," he said with a smile. He reached over, fixing it, and ran his fingers over the smooth silky fabric.

Meanwhile, the car passed into a four way. Dean didn't notice the red light.

 

The ghost of a smile still lit his face as a semi slammed right into the driver's side.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ...
> 
> I just wanted to say one thing and one thing only. I wanted to do this when I completed my story but I didn't want to wait that long.  
> This work is dedicated to my sister, who always keeps me going. I love her so much and never want to live life without her. 
> 
> To my sister, the most special and greatest gift that I have ever received.


	12. Allies

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey! After writing this chapter I realized it was going to be way too long if I stuck to my plan, which was to put more on the end. So, for your own torture I split it into two chapters, and I'm going to make you wait for the next one.  
> Enjoy! :)

There was a faint sound, echoing off in the distance. Castiel remembered a dull feeling all along his side. His throat was scratchy. He remembered that feeling distantly. The absolute calm around him. He could recall the same thing from a few years ago. The time when he woke up alone in a room at this same hospital...

His eyelids flickered open, and he was staring up at a familiar white ceiling with the bland lights. He sat up quickly, groaning at the pain that stabbed at his side.

"Dean?" He called out hoarsely.

The room was well lit, light filtering in from the curtains. He stared at the IV inserted into the middle of his inner arm. He slammed his fist into the bed controls, making the top raise so he was propped up. He studied the controls, and poked the "service" button firmly. Off in the hallways, there was a ringing, and a nurse opened the door.

She had a sweet, gentle face, with long, luscious brown waves framing it like a beautiful picture. She was wearing a purple nurse's outfit over her curvy figure. She seemed slightly familiar- he thought he'd seen her around before.

"Hello, Clarence," she simpered, tilting her head.

He ignored her misnaming, glaring at her with vivid blue eyes.

"Where's Dean?!" He demanded.

"Treatment. You rang?" She asked, raising her eyebrows. Castiel sat back, settling into the soft pillows. He crossed his arms.

"Yeah. I wanted to know where Dean was," he persisted.

"Well, I told you," the nurse said, moving to open the curtains. The sun streamed in, and Castiel blinked.

"What day is it?" He asked the nurse softly.

"Saturday," she responded, busying herself with adjusting the thermostat on the wall. Castiel's eyes flickered to a clock placed neatly on the wall. It read 10:27.

"Where is everyone?" He asked.

"They're getting you some food now. They were waiting out in the lobby when you rang," she explained. "I told them to get you something."

"Thanks," Cas said after a pause. "Who are you? What is your name?"

"I'm Meg. I go to your school," she said absently.

"How do you work here then?!" Castiel exclaimed, looking at her. "You're not old enough to hold a job here, certainly."

"They offered me a part-time job here, just to help with patients and their medications and things. I like nursing and doctoring," she said, leaning against the plain wall, staring at him with a steady gaze. Her dark brown eyes looked like melted chocolate, and they sparkled. "It's good to help people sometimes."

"Is Dean okay?" Castiel asked. Meg snorted, rolling her eyes.

"You're quite the curious one, aren't you, Clarence?" She drawled.

Castiel remained quiet and reprimanding. She gave a weary sigh, her shoulders deflating.

"Not really. I'm not sure he's as fantastic as the doctors want him to be," Meg admitted. "I'm sorry Castiel. The driver of the semi that hit your car hit it pretty hard."

Castiel gulped at the lump in his throat, his eyes a little glossy. "What happened?" He asked slowly.

Meg gazed at him, unsure about telling him for a second. But Castiel would find out anyways.

"Dean ran a red light. A semi hit him on the driver's side, and the car was completely totaled," she whispered.

Cas's breath felt like it was sucked out of his lungs. His weirdly sweaty hands skidded against the plain white bed sheets.

"I have to see Dean!" He choked out. "I have to!"

He made a movement to get out of bed, tossing the sheets aside to expose his scarred and bruised legs. There was a thick bandage wrapped around his upper left leg. He paused, touching it lightly. It hurt a lot, but he ignored it. He sat up, grunting in pain. Meg strode over, concerned.

"Castiel, lay back down! Dean is in intensive care. You can't see him. You need to stay," she ordered, tucking him back in. "You're hurt. You need your rest. Your family will be back soon anyways. Don't worry."

Cas pouted furiously, flopping back into the pillows. "How can I not worry?!" He bit out. "Dean is in trouble. He could die. I don't want that to happen."

"It won't," Meg reassured firmly. "He won't die. He's plenty safe too. The doctors are keeping a close eye on him."

Tears quickly began to spill down Cas's cheeks, and he gulped for air, gasping and sobbing. His body wracked with sobs. Meg's eyes widened in concern. She grabbed a small box of tissues and placed them next to him gently.

"Hey, it's okay, Castiel," she whispered, her hands grasping at his. They were soft against his. He tucked his knees in, clutching her hands.

"He-he told me he loved me," Castiel wept, repeatedly removing his hands from Meg's to wipe his eyes. "Right before the c-car crash. He said that he would love me forever and always." He hiccuped. "What if he dies and those were the last words he'd ever say to me?"

Meg looked crushed. She gripped Cas's hands. "I'm sure he won't die, Castiel," she assured, squeezing his hands gently. "Just have hope."

Her pager suddenly went off. Castiel jumped at the beeping noise, and sighed. She glanced at the little black box on her hip. Her hands left Cas's, and instantly his hands felt cold and empty.

"I have to go," she said, glancing at the door, her brown waves swinging.

"Okay," Cas said dejectedly. He just wanted someone's company, at the least.

Meg turned to leave. "Take care, Clarence," she said with a caring smile back at him. He blinked at her, his blue eyes lost.

"Please visit soon," he requested sadly.

A wide grin spread across her face. "I'm not stupid," she chided playfully, and she left the room.

Cas still wiped at the faint wet tear tracks down his face as the door shut.

***

Gabriel sat in the waiting room, his knees pressed against his chest. His feet were up on the chair, but no one told him to put them down, or scolded him, so he kept them there. He guessed they pitied him. He had rested his chin on his arms, which were on his knees.

Currently his eyes were closed, mostly from exhaustion.

When the home phone had rang repeatedly, he had been the one to pick up. To be the one to have to tell everyone that Cas was in a car crash hurt him so much, deep down to his core. He didn't want to break down or cry, at all.

He had to be the strong one too.

Lucifer and Michael managed to be the strong ones constantly, but Gabriel was trying to be as mature and powerful as them. It also just really wasn't about keeping calm and stable. He was an archangel too, and the youngest of all of them. He had to prove to the others that he was worth it. He usually didn't feel that way himself.

He heard loud, almost awkward footsteps, but he didn't open his eyes. Suddenly he heard a loud exclamation.

"Gabriel?!"

His eyelids fluttered open, blinking up at the person.

Sam stood, staring at Gabriel. Gabriel looked sad and pathetic. But his eyes were still as beautiful as always. Like the sun shining through the colored leaves in the fall. Like bright sun rays twinkling through a bottle of whiskey. Golden. Pure and sweet honey like Gabriel was.

"Yeah?" Gabriel asked, not looking surprised to see Sam.

"H-hi," Sam managed out. Gabriel studied Sam. His eyes seemed brighter, but still worried. He also seemed a little breathless, his chest heaving a little.

"Hi," Gabriel responded, almost emotionlessly.

Sam collapsed into the chair next to him, tipping his head back. Gabriel couldn't help but just look at him. Sam also looked back, and Gabriel averted his eyes. "So... how have you been...?" Sam asked hesitantly.

Gabriel sighed. "Fine. You?"

Sam coughed, and said, "Uh, I'm good, actually."

"Well, good for you," Gabriel said back. It sounded almost sarcastic, but Gabriel truly meant it.

Sam looked taken aback. "Uh... thanks," he said softly.

Gabriel avoided looking at him, and gazed at Cas's room's door. "Yeah, sure," he responded absently.

"Gabriel, you're upset with me?" Sam suddenly asked. It sounded like a statement. Not a question. Gabriel turned, and gave him an doubtful look, with wide gold eyes.

"No!" He said harshly. "Besides, you should be upset with me!" Sam looked shocked and hurt, his hazel gaze lowering from Gabriel's.

"I couldn't be," he murmured, with a slight shrug. "Just please tell me why I should be upset with you."

"I fucking ditched you and I left you behind in the dust. You should know why," Gabriel spat, leering at Sam.

Sam couldn't say anything but he knew he should've. He had been upset with Gabriel, but he's gotten over it, of course. But seeing the beautiful boy he once loved completely broken and uncaring in front of him just about killed him inside.

"Stop thinking," Gabriel hissed. "Jesus Christ, it's annoying."

Sam's eyes got big. "You can hear me?" He whispered.

Gabriel gave him a bitchface.

"Let's see. I have wings and can fly, and I can snap up anything I want. I'm also a fucking angel of the Lord. You seriously think I can't hear you?" Gabriel questioned.

"Uh," Sam stuttered, turning pink instantly.

He was remembering all the things he's thought of with Gabriel. Damn. Gabriel might've heard all of that.

"Only a few bits and pieces," Gabriel commented lightly.

Sam turned a bright red, and playfully shoved Gabriel. Gabriel nearly toppled off his chair, and Sam grabbed at him, holding his arms firmly. Gabriel was laughing, and Sam soon joined in. Gabriel's gold eyes were sparkling and happier than Sam had ever seen. He was absolutely beautiful. Gabriel blushed.

"Stop it," he said, flustered as he climbed back into the chair. He got serious. "When did you get here?"

"Shouldn't you know?" Sam teased. Gabriel gave him the same bitchface. Sam grinned, and sighed. "About thirty minutes ago. I had to run all the way here cuz I can't really drive," he said sheepishly. His voice softened. "They won't let me see Dean, but they told me there was another victim, aka Cas, who was up here. So I decided to come up and maybe see him."

"Oh. Why did you run here?! Couldn't you have gotten a ride from someone?" Gabriel asked.

Sam shrugged. "I dunno. I wasn't far. I was at Ellen and Jo's," Sam said. "Guess I needed my exercise."

He grinned cheekily, and Gabriel let out a snort. "Sam, you're about as skinny as a stick," he said, poking Sam lightly in the stomach. Sam let out a random giggle and color spread rapidly across his cheeks. Then Gabriel gave him a weird look. "Why were you at Ellen and Jo's?"

"Oh... uh...," Sam paused. "I was having breakfast with someone."

Gabriel's eyebrows shot up, and he felt crestfallen inside. But he kept a straight face, showing no emotion. Sam noticed that whatever Gabriel was feeling, he hid it pretty well.

"So a date?" He assumed. Sam bit his lip.

"Yeah. Something like that," Sam said.

Gabriel smirked. "Is she pretty?" He teased. Sam smoothed his hair back.

"Uh, yeah, she is," Sam admitted. "A lot."

"Ooh, Sammy's got a crush," Gabriel jeered, grinning wickedly at Sam. Sam laughed, a delighted, rich sound. Gabriel felt a true smile spread across his face. The smile faded from Sam's face. He glanced at Gabriel. 

"What?" Gabriel asked.

"Look... are we okay?" Sam said hesitantly.

Gabriel was silent for a second, then he inquired, "What do you mean?"

"Uh, like, are we friends?" Sam's hazel eyes were slightly worried. Gabriel looked stunned.

"I think so. Did you not want to be?" He joked.

Sam looked horrified. "No, I want to be your friend," he said hurriedly.

Gabriel laughed again, smoothing his hair back. "I was joking, Sam," Gabriel assured him. Sam's panicked look fell from his face.

"Oh."

Gabriel cracked up even more, and gasped for air as he fell quiet. "Y'know, I just figured wouldn't want to be cuz I, uh, hurt your feelings or something," Gabriel countered. Sam studied him.

"How?" Sam asked, perplexed.

"You know why," Gabriel argued. "Like I said before. I ditched you. Left you behind. Then Kali slapped you because of me."

Sam shook his head. "I deserved it," he said firmly.

Gabriel looked so angry then. "Hell, no, you didn't," he said, his voice suddenly icy. "Dammit Sam, can't you see? I was my fault in the first place. You thought we had something special and I went and ruined it."

" _I_ thought we had special?! What about _you_?!" Sam demanded. The sparkle in Gabriel's eyes vanished.

"Me?! I...," Gabriel trailed off. Sam's eyes narrowed, and he stood, facing Gabriel.

"Exactly! Love is just a game for you, isn't it?! Playing and toying with other people's hearts, then ditching them! Not allowing yourself to have feelings! You push everyone away, but you end up breaking their hearts! You're just a cold, cruel, capricious asshole!" Sam shouted. He literally could see Gabriel's heart break in his golden eyes. They filled with an empty sadness.

"I know," Gabriel admitted defeatedly. "I know, Sam."

"You know, I think you don't deserve having my friendship, even if it is worth it to you or not! I'm surprised at myself for even offering it again to you. Because you go around treating everyone like pottery and then you smash them! Destroying them completely! You destroy people. Love is a gift and when you receive it you treat it like trash," Sam sneered, angrier than he'd ever been before.

Gabriel shrunk back into his seat. "Well, then maybe I should just go! You don't want me around anymore," Gabriel said dejectedly.

Sam paused, watching Gabriel get up to leave. He crossed the room, walking across the neat white tiles to the elevator. He seemed so small in the huge white hallways, and Sam instantly felt guilty. The feeling gnawed away at his heart and he knew he had hurt Gabriel. Something inside his head said it was revenge. But he shook that thought away, deciding to be a better person at that moment.

"Gabriel," Sam called, his voice miserable, tired and broken. "Please don't leave me again."

Gabriel turned, his eyes brimming with hurt. "Why shouldn't I?" He questioned quietly, staring at Sam with such a lost, confused look. "I'm poison. I fucking hurt everyone. I hurt you."

"Don't go. Just stay. I'm sorry," Sam apologized, coming over to Gabriel. Gabe's eyes were doubtful and unhappy, his lips pulled into a slight frown.

"I've been hurt so bad, Sam, yet I still love and care so damn hard. I give in too fucking easily at most times," Gabriel said softly, shaking his head. "But if it's you, trying to convince me to stay, I guess I will."

Gabriel was still in love with him.

Suddenly everything made sense to Sam. Gabriel was still in love with him even after Sam shouted at him and broke his heart. Gabriel was loyal to him that whole time, and Kali was just a mistake.

Sam reached out and pulled Gabe in, embracing him tightly. Gabriel went still, and tense. He relaxed after a moment, tucking his head under Sam's chin. He could feel Sam's breath gust lightly by his hair, and he sighed. Sam's hand gently ran through his tawny hair, and Gabriel buried his face into Sam's chest, clutching at fabric of Sam's red shirt on his back.

He felt the small rumble in his chest start up and he blushed deeply, but he felt content in Sam's arms. He purred as Sam's fingers laced through his hair softly.

Sam suddenly laughed, seeming to notice. His chest shook, and so did his shoulders. "Are you fucking purring?" Sam asked, gasping for air. Gabriel nodded, his forehead shifting against Sam's chest.

Sam only laughed harder, and Gabriel pulled away from Sam's embrace. "Shut up. It's a natural habit. All angels like to be groomed or pet," Gabriel said in a playfully bitter tone.

Sam smirked at him, crossing his arms. "I'll keep that in mind," he noted. Gabriel's cheeks flushed red, and he stammered slightly. He was rendered speechless for the first time in a long time. Then he grinned brightly.

"So, I guess we're okay?" Sam phrased carefully.

"Yeah, I suppose," Gabriel said with a shrug.

"Good," Sam sighed.

It was freezing in the hallway suddenly, like someone had turned on the air conditioner, and Gabriel shivered, rubbing at his bare arms. Sam glanced over, looking concerned.

"Hey, are you cold? Here. Have my jacket," he offered, slipping his jacket off. It was the navy one he wore often, with the folded collar that exposed the black and white checkered inside.

Gabriel looked genuinely surprised and grateful. "Thanks, Sam," he said, accepting the jacket. He slipped it on, and then Sam grinned. The jacket was extremely big on Gabriel. It hung past his hips, and his fingers barely poked out of the huge sleeves. Gabriel noticed it was soft against his arms, and on the plus side too, it was warm. He grinned cheesily. "I love it."

Sam felt a content, loving feeling spread through his chest, and he smiled back.

"I think we can go see Cas now," Gabriel said, going to Cas's door. Sam eagerly followed, and went in to see Cas.

Cas was lounging back in his bed, staring vacantly at the fluorescent lights. His eyes flickered to the two boys as they entered the empty room.

"Hey Cas," Gabriel greeted, a smile lighting up on his face. Cas grinned back as Sam and Gabe approached.

"Hello, Gabriel, hello, Sam. It is quite lovely to see you two with each other again. Gabriel was quite upset about your absences, Sam," Cas said straightforwardly.

Sam stared at Gabriel, and astonishment shone in his hazel eyes. Gabriel was avoiding his gaze, looking sheepishly out the window. A faint pink was settled on his cheeks. Sam was shocked to the core, yeah, but he felt this longing to plant his lips right on Gabriel's. That would be mildly inappropriate at the moment though. But it made him happy because he never really knew that Gabriel missed him.

It was awkwardly silent for a minute until Sam cleared his throat. "Um, so, Cas. How are you feeling?" Sam asked politely. Cas paused, debating on how to answer.

"I'm... okay," he said evenly. He shifted in his bed, looking restless. "I just want to see Dean."

Sam looked troubled. He lowered his head. "Yeah, me too," he murmured. He turned back to Cas, deciding not to be too melancholy. "What do the doctors say happened to you?"

"Um, I've got a few scars, bruises, and a sprain on my left leg. I also have two fractured ribs," Cas explained, shrugging. "I'm not as bad as Dean probably is. I'm so worried about him."

There was a sudden knock on the door, and the three turned their heads to it. "Come in!" Cas called.

The door opened, and in walked Chuck, Becky, Lucifer, and Balthazar.

Sam hadn't really ever seen Chuck around. He looked maybe in his mid-thirties, with tousled brown hair and quite a bit of stubble dotting his jaw. He looked a little tired, but he smiled brightly when he walked in.

"Hi, guys," Cas welcomed.

"Hey there, Castiel," Chuck replied, closing the door with a click. "Michael, Anna and Samandriel are still waiting out in the lobby area. We figured that we could ask the nurses if you could come out into the lobby, and they said yes. Is that alright with you?"

Cas sat up, and grinning. "It gets me out of this stupid cramped room, and this weird bed, so yes, please!"

Lucifer and Balthazar went over to help Cas out of the bed, Cas clutching at the IV stand to balance himself on his right foot.

"I need crutches," Cas requested, pointing to a pair that were leaning against the wall. "I can't walk on my sprain."

Gabriel leaned over, and grabbed the crutches, and carefully handed them to Cas. Cas boosted them under his arms, and made a slightly rocky exit.

He hobbled out, and made his way to the couches, the other six following him out. He groaned slightly, and spotted Michael. He sat in the waiting room, a concerned look etched onto his handsome face. Anna was watching Cas come over, perched next to Samandriel. His eyes were a vibrant blue like Cas's and also worried. Castiel made his way over, and collapsed in a couch. Michael propped his sprained leg up. Castiel offered a wince but thanked Michael for his help. Michael nodded as everyone else took a seat. Cas breathed out a sigh.

"Hey, guys. How are you?" He said steadily.

"We should be asking how you are," Anna spoke up softly. Cas bit his lip thoughtfully.

"I'm fine. I just really want to see Dean. Really badly. The doctors won't even let Sam see him."

Sam gave a disappointed nod. "They gave me an update. He's doing a bit better, and they're keeping a close eye on him," he said to try and lift the mood a little.

Cas nodded, his mood definitely not lifted.

"Well, we brought you some food," Michael said, lifting a bag towards Cas. A smile still spread across Cas's face even though it wasn't a surprise to him.

"Thank you," he said gratefully, accepting the bag. He peered inside. From what he could see so far, there was a wrapped burger from White Castle, his favorite. He grinned delightedly, pulling it out.

"These make me very happy," he whispered, unwrapping it eagerly to start eating. He was drooling- it smelled so good and it was still warm in his hands.

Meg approached from the hall.

"Castiel?" She asked. His head snapped up, and he smiled in greeting.

"Yes Meg?"

"Visitors are now welcome to see Dean," she announced.

Cas shot off his feet, forgetting about the crutches. He sprinted to the elevator, Sam hot on his trail. Cas left the burger abandoned, all thoughts of eating it gone from his mind.

"Floor 4," Sam wheezed.

Cas rapidly jammed his finger against the button, clicking it several times. The elevator doors still inched shut, and slowly slid down. Cas made a whine in anticipation as the doors opened. He sprinted down the hall, and Sam shouted after him, "Room 13!"

Cas whipped to face the left, almost sliding past it.

He straightened out his figure, and cautiously opened the door.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much guys for all the kudos. I appreciate all support.   
> Please leave a comment or maybe even a kudo...? I'd love to get to 50 of them. That sounds nearly impossible, but I'm trying!   
> Thanks again guys, and I'll be posting again soon!


	13. Old Lullabies

Castiel paused, reaching out for the doorknob. He twisted it slowly, the metal cold in his slim hand. Light spilled from the hallway into the dark, silent room. He took a nervous step in, and a shaky breath slipped out of his lips.

"Dean?" He whispered. There was no reply, and his soft call hung in the air. He closed the door, and the latch clicked. The thick curtains were shut, so only a little amount of light slipped into the room. Cas let his gaze drift to the bed.

Dean was laying there, tucked into the bland covers. He seemed petite and fragile, like a porcelain doll. The colors of bruises were painted across his pale skin and scars weaved like lace on his face, neck and arms. His face was relaxed and limp, his eyes closed peacefully. He looked dead.

Cas stood next to the door, tears pricking at his eyes. He drew his arms close to his chest, and it felt like the room was becoming confining; his chest felt so tight and constricted. His hands had a constant tremor as he drifted to the side of the bed cautiously. He took a shaky breath in, trying to calm himself before he broke down.

He reached out, and took Dean's hand carefully in his. His fingers entwined themselves with Dean's. He squeezed Dean's hand, trying to bring life and warmth back into something that once seemed so alive.

"Dean." He took in a shuddering gasp, and several tears dripped down his cheeks. His other hand drifted up to cradle Dean's jaw. He stroked Dean's cheek gently with his thumb, the pad of his finger tracing the constellations of freckles. "Dean," he murmured again softly, this time a little louder to see if he could try and wake Dean.

Cas's lip trembled.

"Dean, I'm sorry," he said broken-heartedly. "You only wanted what was best for me. And what was best for me was you. Dean, I wanted all the things you wanted. I wanted to wake up late in the morning, with the sun shining bright, cuddled next to you knowing that I didn't have to worry about a thing because you were there. I wanted to be yours, too. Because I knew that with you I actually had a chance of being happy. With you I would be whole. Life would be worth living with you next to me everyday. I would spend every night with you staring up at the stars not thinking about what life would be like without you. I'd be thinking of all the places we could go and all the things we could do together."

Cas sniffed quietly, wiping at the tears that left slow trails down his face.

"You and I. Together. And now I can only dream. I know you'll fight to stay alive. I know you are right now. And I'm sorry that my stupid tie distracted you," he choked. "After this I won't wear ties anymore. I realize now anyways wearing one everyday probably made me look like a prude."

He gave a bitter laugh, the sound echoing off of the bare walls. He returned to being melancholy, now gripping Dean's hand in both of his. Dean's hands were freezing, and worn. They were rough and kind of dry, showing signs of hard work and very little care. It was probably from fixing cars too much. He knew that Dean loved to do that. Cas blinked profusely, trying to make his blurry vision fade. His heart pounded in his chest, and he let out a choked sob.

"Dean! Dean, please wake up! I need you," Cas pleaded. "Dean, please. Please! Dammit Dean, I love you! I can't live without you! I can't go on, spending my days knowing that you're gone and you won't come back. I'd miss you too much. Dean. Please, Dean. I couldn't bear hearing others talk about you if you were gone. They'd say..."

Cas drifted off, tears still slowly slipping out of his saddened blue eyes.

"They'd say, 'Dean was the most beautiful man I ever met. He loved too much, but died too soon.' They'd say, 'Dean was handsome. He was kind and gentle and sweet and all the things you could ever dream of. He was more beautiful than the stars that shined in his eyes, but he was just as beautiful as the love that shined in his heart.'"

Cas felt a pain build up in his chest, and it hurt. He'd felt like he'd been shot in the heart. "Dean. I love you. I love you now, and I'll love you still. I always have and I always will," Cas whispered, cradling Dean's face in his hands. He leaned forward slowly, and pressed his cool lips to Dean's temple.

"I love you," he murmured again, for one last time, his mouth brushing Dean's ear.

When Dean coughed, Cas didn't know whether to scream in shock or scream in joy. All he did was stare at Dean with wide, teary eyes and then throw his arms around Dean.

"Cas," Dean croaked out.

"I'm here, I'll always be here." Castiel cried into the crook of Dean's neck, hiccuping.

"Cas, that hurts," Dean said hoarsely, his arms shifting.

"Oh," Cas said as he pulled away. "I-I'm sorry."

He scolded himself silently. Of course Dean was in pain. He should know that.

"It's okay, Cas." Dean let out a breathy laugh. "It's perfectly alright."

He coughed several times, his whole body trembling. Castiel rapidly went to the sink in the tiny, tidy bathroom attached to the room, and grabbed a paper cup from a small stack next to the sink. He turned on the cold tap and filled the cup, bringing it to Dean.

"Thanks," Dean breathed, taking long swallows and emptying the cup. He set it down on the bedside table, his hands quivering. His eyes slowly lifted to Cas. "How are you?" He asked, genuinely concerned. Cas was stupefied.

"You're serious? You were in the emergency room for-" Cas observed the clock. "2 hours?! You were in the emergency room for two hours and you are worried about me?!" Dean's eyes focused on Cas, and he appeared wounded.

"That's because I care for you, Cas," he said tenderly, the anguish in his eyes evident. "It was all my fault, you should know that. I wasn't paying attention. I hurt you, in both ways. Mentally and physically. I'm so sorry." His body convulsed, and tears flowed silently down his cheeks.

"No, no, Dean, it's alright," he consoled, reaching over and scooping Dean's hands into his. He gripped them tightly, like it was the only thing he was using to hold on to. Dean gazed at him sadly, filled to the brim with tears.

"I don't know what to do anymore. I can't keep fighting for a steady life. So, I'm choosing to do what I think is best," he said confidently. "Fear has kept my head spinning. I've lost control, but I'm not ever going to be afraid anymore, Cas. I'll be strong for you." Cas felt a warmth bloom in his chest, and he smiled.

"Deep in my heart, I know, I do know that you're the one for me and I'm not planning on letting you go."

Dean's hands slowly went to cradle Cas's face, his fingers weaving into Cas's dark silky locks. Dean sat up, and pressed his lips delicately to Cas's.

Cas loved it.

Dean's lips tasted like sweet cherries and they were tender and loving. Cas's heart fluttered. His eyes closed gradually. There was a light, happy sensation in him and he felt like he could just float away in bliss.

It was honestly the first time they'd actually kissed... He pulled away, his eyes opening. Dean still looked a little entranced, smiling languidly. Color had made it's way back into his face, and he appeared to be a lot better.

"And you're alright?" Cas was obviously concerned for Dean's wellbeing. Dean laughed, a cheerful noise.

"Of course, Cas. I am." He nodded. He fell silent, studying Cas. "Damn. You're just so beautiful, Cas. I don't know why I ever gave you up."

He frowned, his gaze averting.

"Where do we go from here? Is this where our story ends?"Dean asked suddenly. Cas paused, and shook his head.

"No. It doesn't end here," he said firmly. "I won't let it."

Dean's eyelids lowered, and the shadows under his eyes grew more apparent. He yawned, rubbing one of his eyes. He grinned lazily, leaning back into his fluffy pillow.

"Hey, man, sing me a song," he said, waving his hand at Cas. Cas smiled widely. "I've never heard you sing anyways. You've heard me sing like three million times but I haven't heard you."

Cas blushed, but liked the idea of it. "Okay," he said eagerly. "What song?"

"Anything. Something sweet, maybe. Or soft," Dean suggested. Cas pulled over a dark velvety chair, and settled down into it. He cleared his throat, and took Dean's hands. He began to run his thumb over the back of Dean's hand, soothing him.

"Hey Jude, don't make it bad. Take a sad song, and make it better. Remember to let her into your heart, then you can start to make it better," Cas sang slowly. Dean smiled, his eyes distant. He looked happy; he definitely knew the song. "Hey Jude, don't be afraid. You were made to go out and get her. The minute you let her under your skin, then you begin to make it better."

Dean's eyes slipped closed, and his body visibly relaxed into the bed. There was still a faint smile on his face.

"And anytime you feel the pain, hey Jude, refrain. Don't carry the world upon your shoulders. For well you know that it's a fool who plays it cool, by making his world a little colder. Nah nah nah nah nah, nah nah nah nah," Cas sang out sweetly and softly. "Hey Jude, don't let me down. You have found her, now go and get her. Remember to let her into your heart, then you can start to make it better."

He cleared his throat again, his voice warming up a little more and becoming more clearer. He gave a soft sigh, and began again, staring at Dean's peaceful face.

"So let it out and let it in, hey Jude, begin. You're waiting for someone to perform with. And don't you know that it's just you, hey Jude, you'll do, the movement you need is on your shoulder. Nah nah nah nah nah, nah nah nah nah, yeah."

He felt the soft purr finish in his throat as he got up. The bed was certainly wide enough, so he crawled in next to Dean. Dean scooted over a little to make room for him. Cas rested his head on Dean's warm, firm upper chest, feeling it rise up and down. His arms partially wrapped around Dean.

Cas had felt weary himself, and he yawned hugely. His eyes shut, and he gave a breath. He sang out the last words into the serenity of the silent room.

"Hey Jude, don't make it bad. Take a sad song and make it better. Remember to let her under your skin, then you'll begin to make it better."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks so much for reading! The next chapter will come soon! :)


	14. Sly Spies

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> IT'S BEEN SUCH A LONG TIME, JESUS.  
> Anyways, I've been awfully busy, dance has taken up a lot of the last few days. -.-  
> Anyways, this is another sort of very very short in-between chapter, (only like 2,500 some words) but I promise it isn't that boring... I hope. X3

It was late Sunday when Dean was released from the hospital. The sun was happy and shining but Sam felt the exact opposite. Actually, he had never felt angrier. He blatantly argued with Dean and the doctor about medications for Dean, and he had clenched fists when Dean managed to make it to the sleek Impala.

"You shouldn't be driving, Dean," Sam stated as Dean collapsed into the leather driver's seat.

"Well, what am I supposed to do?! You can't drive," Dean bitched, looking crabby, the corners of his lips turned down.

"Shut the hell up," Sam muttered, slamming the passenger door shut. The window rattled.

Dean shot Sam a look, his eyes lighting with annoyance. "What is your problem?!" Dean snapped out, his thick hands gripping the steering wheel until his knuckles turned white. Sam's eyes narrowed, and he stared out the windshield.

"It's that Dad never showed up, Dean. You were in the fucking hospital and he never bothered to fucking show his face!" Sam's voice strained, glancing at his brother with a malicious look in his eyes. "Dammit, Dean. What the hell has Dad been up to?!"

Dean took in a bated breath, shaking his head roughly. "It's not of your concern, Sammy. He's fine. He's busy, most likely," Dean said evenly, avoiding glancing at his younger brother. Sam inhaled sharply, looking angrily incredulous.

"I don't understand the blind faith you have in the man, Dean! He's not a good enough of a guy to be our father! He doesn't give a shit about us! Not since Mom died!" Sam nearly shouted, slamming his fist down on the dashboard.

"Don't you dare talk about Dad like that! He's all that we have left!" Dean hissed, whipping his head to Sam.

Sam's eyes were livid, and his nose twitched slightly. "He's all that _you_ have left, Dean. I have other people. Now you and Dad can take your secrets and shove them up your own asses because I'm done," Sam said straightforwardly, looking like he didn't regret a word he was saying.

Dean's shoulders slumped, and he gave a defeated sigh. "Sam-"

"Shut up."

"No. Just listen to me," Dean said, sitting up and facing his brother, wincing. Sam gave him a bitchface, tilting his head. Dean rolled his eyes, and groaned. "Please," he eased out.

"What." Sam stared out the passenger window.

"Dad... he's... hunting." Dean struggled out the words, like it hurt him to tell the truth.

"Hunting?! Dude, it's Kansas. There's probably not a forest around here for miles, let alone one you could hunt in," Sam said, looking bothered.

"Not hunting animals, you ass," Dean said impatiently.

"Then what the fuck is there to hunt?!" Sam exclaimed, throwing his hands up.

Dean fell deadly silent for a moment. He opened his mouth, hesitated, and closed it. "Monsters," he forced out, blinking over at Sam. It was Sam's turn to go quiet. Dean's expression lightened, and he looked less murderous. "You know, things that are... unnatural."

Sam paused, looking at Dean with awe appearing on his face. But Dean's face was serious, and his eyes held truth, so Sam found it easy to believe. "Those things are real?" He whispered harshly, his eyebrows raised. That wasn't really the reason that he was panicking inside though.

"Yeah. Ghosts, demons, werewolves, you name it. All real. He's called a hunter. He kills those s.o.bs before they can hurt anyone else," Dean explained, looking serious. "They're dangerous. They could kill you, Sammy. That's why he never really told you."

Sam calmed down a little, rubbing his sweaty palms on his jeans. A confused look crossed his face. "Why aren't you hunting with him?" He questioned.

"Well, I have to protect you. That's my job," Dean said with a proud grin.

Sam looked very pensive, sitting in silence. "Let's go home," he said softly, staring down at his knees. "I'm sick of being here."

"Me too," Dean agreed, nodding.

As they pulled out, Sam couldn't help but think. If his father was hunting something in town, could it be Gabriel?

***

December flew by as quickly as it came.

Dean really never remembered it being November. It all just came too quickly and struck him in the face.

John was busy a lot. Sam seemed still pretty furious about John's absences, but never confronted him on the subject. Dean had learned not to question his father's motives. It was the usual morning that Dean came downstairs to get breakfast ready for Sam that he would spot his father sleeping on the couch. Beer bottles usually were littered around him.

But still, Sam was a lot better. He was still dating Jess and Dean was happy for him. He was just grateful that Jess never brought up meeting John. John's name was poison and if it was mentioned in a conversation it would just turn rotten.

But Sam was happier. So Dean felt happier. He and Cas also had spent plenty of time together, and he and Lisa were still dating. He thought everything was going great.

Castiel hated everything. He was beginning to hate school. He hated Lisa. He hated how girls constantly flirted with Dean. Every day it killed him a little more inside. But then again he could never hate Dean. Lisa was just an annoying bitchy slut who wouldn't leave Dean alone. It sounded savage and brutal, but it was the truth. It made Cas want to punch a wall. And punch Lisa. But that would be inappropriate.

***

It was late December. Sam vacantly stared out the window of his last class of the day, his Social Studies class, watching snow sprinkle onto the ground.

"Fi-nals!" His teacher sang, jerking Sam out of his thoughts. "It's at the end of this week, and well, you should already be studying. You also need to know about the French Revolution, which was what we looked at last week. It's going to be hard, so you need to be prepared."

Sam snorted softly to himself, and let his eyes flicker to Gabriel, who was pouting. Typical, but Sam couldn't help but smile. They'd been hanging out and things had been pretty casual. Gabe still kept his distance but he seemed joyful. Sam still hated the sick feeling in his stomach that was how they went from something so amazing to splitting apart, but he was still glad to be able to be friends with Gabe.

The teacher just gave them some worksheet assignment to complete overnight, and Sam had half of it done in five minutes. He glanced over at Gabriel, who wasn't working. He was just staring out of the window and sort of lewdly licking at a purple lollipop. Sam had always found Gabriel's sugar intake a little shocking. He knew never to get in between Gabriel and his candy, though.

The bell chirruped, dismissing the students, and Gabriel slung his backpack on his shoulder, strolling over to Sam, who was still gathering his books. Gabe pulled the sucker out of his mouth with a wet pop, and sighed loudly.

"What?" Sam said, jokingly impatient. Gabriel simply shrugged.

"I hate finals. They're fucking stupid," he stated like it was obvious. Sam smiled at him.

"That's because you don't care about school," Sam pointed out. Gabriel hesitated, then nodded, making the 'not bad' face.

"True. But of course, nerds like you must care a lot. I just can't wait for break. I just want it to be Christmas." It was hard to ignore the childish spark of excitement in Gabriel's eyes. Sam laughed, shaking his head. Gabriel sighed drastically, and gave him a look. "What? What are you doing for Christmas?"

Sam scoffed. "Probably nothing," he said. "Dad'll be out not spending time with Dean and I, and we'll be sitting alone at home."

Gabriel gave him sympathetic look. "Hey, man, that sucks. You should come over on Christmas. You and Dean. It'll be awesome." Sam's eyebrows raised.

"Really? Wow. Thanks, Gabe." Gabriel just grinned widely, offering a shrug again.

"No problem. Besides, Becky will be overjoyed to see you and Dean again, and you can meet the rest of the fam properly. You'll like Lucifer," Gabriel said with a laugh.

Gabriel's smile was pretty contagious, and Sam found himself smiling back.

***

Dean loved Cas's laugh. It was the best sound ever, and it always resonated in his heart minutes afterward, giving him the happiest feeling. Sitting in the diner with Cas was an ever better feeling. He could sit there forever. He almost felt guilty, like he was cheating on Lisa with Cas, but that wasn't how it was. Or at least he was pretty sure that wasn't the way it looked.

Well, truth was, he was beginning to prefer time with Cas more than time with Lisa. He found himself longing to have dinner with Cas more than having dinner with Lisa. Lisa was demanding, and was very concerned about the image they were broadcasting around the school. She scolded him when he went for a piece of cherry pie once, even. She would turn down anything in fear it would make them look bad to the other students at school. She also wanted him to start wearing freaking polo shirts or some shit instead of flannel! Cas told Dean that he liked his style. Cas never judged Dean. Why couldn't Lisa be like Cas? Or why couldn't Cas be a girl? That would make him seem more normal. Then he could be with Cas without getting rude and disapproving looks.

And then he could be with Cas and his dad would be proud. He wouldn't be beaten for liking a guy if Cas was a girl.....

Dean gazed at Cas, who was chewing on some fries absently and staring out of the window.

"It's snowing," Cas commented.

"Yeah," Dean breathed, his gaze not drifting from his friend. Or maybe best friend? Was Cas his best friend? He didn't know, but he thought so. It gave him a pleased feeling to think Cas was his best friend.

Cas's sweet ocean eyes turned back to Dean. "Are you excited for break?" He asked, picking up another fry and nibbling on it. Dean cleared his throat and sat back into the booth.

"Uh, yeah. Sort of. I won't be doing anything," Dean said with a careless shrug.

"Will your dad be home?" Cas questioned. He paused. "Like he usually isn't?"

"Probably not. Sam and I will just be sitting around, doing nothing and not talking." Dean leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table. "That's how it is most of the time during the summer and weekends too."

Cas chewed thoughtfully, and swallowed. "Well, Gabriel told me that he invited Sam over on Christmas. I was wondering if maybe you wanted to...?" Cas trailed off. Dean's eyes widened in a happy surprise.

"Really?! You mean it?!" He exclaimed excitedly, a wide smile spreading across his face. Cas nodded, taking in a breath.

"Yeah, I do. It'll be fun. We could decorate the tree," Cas suggested, dragging two fries through a cup of ranch. "Hang up ornaments, and Sam with his awkward tallness can put the angel on top."

Dean guffawed, shaking his head, knowing that was true. Sam was the only one who could probably put the tree topper on without help.

"That sounds amazing. Thanks, Cas," he said softly, and genuinely. Cas felt so happy at that moment. He'd give anything to spend all of his time with Dean, especially at Christmas.

***

"I want you to stop spending time with that Castiel guy."

It was just the next day, after school, and Dean was just leaning against the blue lockers, watching Lisa go through hers. She was putting her thick textbooks into her fancy custom backpack, not looking at her boyfriend. Dean had froze when she'd said that, and he stared at her with an incredulous look.

"What?! Why?!" He demanded to know.

She shoved her math book into her bag, glancing at him. Her expression told him she meant business, and she was absolutely serious. "Because. It projects a bad image. You know, you hanging out with someone like him. People will get the wrong idea," she explained simply. "Besides, I saw you together the other afternoon at the diner. Seeing you and him together like that looks weird."

Dean was torn. Lisa was spying on him and Cas? But anger bubbled up in his stomach at the other things that Lisa said.

"'Someone like him'? What's that supposed to mean?!" Dean spat out, instantly angry.

Lisa was always making his life choices. He was sick and tired of it, and her. But he couldn't say that. He liked Lisa, a lot. She was really sweet and bubbly, and there was always a soft spot for her in his heart, no matter what she did.

Lisa gave a drastic sigh, shaking her head. "He isn't like us. He doesn't have any friends, and he's just awkward. He isn't cool."

"Who cares if he's a little weird sometimes?! I certainly don't. Everyone is at moments. And he does have friends, including me!" Dean argued, his green eyes livid. "I can't stand you making my life choices! I can't hang out with the people I like because of you!"

Lisa stomped her foot dramatically. "You made good friends with Crowley and the guys on the football team! Keep those friends instead!"

Dean shook his head, pissed off. His hands were clenched into fists. "Stop. Making. My life choices," he grit out, staring at her. Her lip trembled, but Dean didn't regret saying what he did.

"Don't leave me," she whispered quickly, her eyes pleading. "I need you."

Dean gave her a strange look.

"No, you don't need me and maybe I should leave you," he suggested angrily, turning away to walk off down the empty hallway.

Lisa reached out and grabbed his arm firmly. "Don't leave me! You can't!" She nearly shouted, her fingers laced tightly around his bicep. He paused, turning his head back to her. His lips were pressed into a thin line.

"And why not?" He asked, his expression stony.

"Because... never mind," Lisa stuttered out. Her eyes dropped to the floor.

"What were you going to say?" He asked, stern.

"I was going to say... You can't leave me," she said, struggling to keep her voice even.

"Because I'm pregnant."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know, I know, it's a little cliché but seriously? It's basically what makes everything start going down the drain. I feel bad, but honestly everything gets better in the end. I promise. :)


	15. Devise

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello my friends! It's been a while actually but here it is! There's more news at the end... If anyone actually cares or reads them lol :)

Dean had always believed he'd been through hell and back. He'd tried too hard, maybe. He did have a good life, but only with Sam. Dean knew John did the best he could as a father, but he just wasn't a good one. Losing Mary in the house fire all those years ago had warped John into something twisted and mean, something rotten inside. He was always too harsh, too demanding. Dean felt scared, and intimidated by him most of the time. He'd always be prone to screw up, or do something he shouldn't have, and that angered John constantly. Usually it was one wrong action and John would explode on him. And this pretty much took the bait. John was going to be so pissed off at him. John tended to do things when he was pissed off- or drunk. Sometimes both. His favorite thing to do was push around Dean, and snap at him. The worst was when John would strike him. Sam was never around to see, and that was good. Sam never knew that Dean had taken a few good punches and hits. Dean hoped it would stay that way- Sam, unknowing. As long as John never hit his little brother, Dean was grateful. But after all that time he would never fight back, and John knew that. He'd molded Dean into his perfect little soldier, his obedient servant.

Dean knew if John ever found out about Lisa, he'd be done for. He didn't really know what to do.

 

She stood there, gazing at him evenly, tears in her eyes reflecting at him in the fluorescent lights.

"What do you want me to do?" He asked defeatedly. "How far along are you?" She gave a sigh, wiping at her eyes. She shrugged, loosely moving her arms carelessly.

"It's been since October, so about two and a half months. And I'd like you to stay with me," she requested. Her eyes were silently begging as she crossed her arms. She looked exhausted. "Please. I can't do this by myself, Dean."

He sighed tiredly. "I know, I know. I just- I can't stop hanging out with my friends. Cas is awesome. I'll stay here with you, I promise. I'll try to do my best, honestly."

"Okay," Lisa said hesitantly, with a strained voice. Dean paused, panic running through his body.

"Have you told anyone?" He asked, dropping his voice.

"No. I'm not going to tell my parents at all. I'm not going to even tell my friends. You're the only one that knows... because it's yours," she said, dropping her eyes. She tucked her dark hair behind her ear, shifting her feet. Dean was tense.

"Okay. Well, can we deal with this tomorrow? I've gotta get home soon, or my dad will be wondering where I am," he said stressfully, not anticipating the next day at all. She nodded slowly, walking forward. Her hands rested on his chest, and slid from his chest to his shoulders. She stared into his green eyes.

"I still love you. I always have," she eased out. He nodded, but almost a slight disbelief bit at his heart.

"I know. I love you too," he responded, his eyes distant. She lifted herself onto her toes and leaned in to kiss him. They kissed for a moment, and then he pulled away.

"Bye," he whispered, and he turned and walked away, his shoes squeaking against the floor a little. He exited the front doors, his feet crunching through the snow, breathing hard and trying not to start crying as he walked to his car. He unlocked the door and got in, sinking down into the leather seat. His head tipped back slowly and his eyes closed. He gave a slow sigh, tears pricking his eyes. He started the car. When he arrived home, he passed by Sam, who was seated at the dining table, books piled on the surface of the table. He was very occupied with homework. Sam called, "Hey, Dean," but his older brother didn't respond.

Dean hurried up the stairs, and entered his bedroom, and forcefully shut his door. He weakly collapsed on his bed onto his stomach, relaxing his stiff muscles with a groan. He buried his head into his pillows, trying hard not to scream or cry or break down completely. His whole body wracked with sobs, but no sound came out. He boosted himself onto his elbows, covering his face with his hands as hot tears ran rapidly down his face. He wiped at them, nearly rubbing his eyes raw. They stung, and he let out a broken cry, his shoulders shaking violently.

He had to face the fact that his whole life was ruined. He couldn't leave Lisa anymore now. He was stuck. He wished someone could come rescue him from this life. But who could, he didn't even know.

*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*

Cas was lounging on his bed, laying on his belly, just kicking his feet and doing some English homework when his phone vibrated. He looked around, wondering what the buzzing noise was when he spotted his phone lit up on the bedside table. He reached for the phone, his slim fingers wrapping around it and bringing it towards him. He stared at the screen, then grinned in response to the notification that he had a message from Dean. He opened it.

**D: hey cas**

He quickly typed back.

**C: Hello Dean! :3 What are you doing?**

(Dean had showed him the many wonders of emoticons- he was blessed to have a friend like Dean who showed him the most beautiful things in life.)

**D: uh nothing i just needed someone to talk to**

Cas frowned, concerned. Even through text message and bad grammar he could tell Dean was upset.

**C: What is wrong, Dean? Is everything alright? :(**

**D: not really but im not sure i want to talk about it**

**C: Okay. Did you want to meet up and get some pie at Ellen and Jo's or something? :)**

Pie always cheered Dean up.

**D: actually is it alright if i came over? i could bring sammy over too if he wants**

**C: Sure, Dean. It is always a pleasure to have your company.**

**D: thanks cas we'll be over soon**

Cas smiled happily. He couldn't wait. He liked having Dean and Sam over. They were extremely nice. Gabriel would enjoy the fact that Sam was over, and Cas himself liked it that Dean was over too. He sat up, his feet dangling over the edge of the bed then resting on the cold floor. He went to his drawers and opened one, pulling out a pair of blue socks. He flopped back onto his bed and yanked them on, then went into the hall. He walked down it, and went down the stairs. He crossed the foyer, heading to the living room. Balthazar was sitting quite primly on the couch, drinking coffee, of all things. Cas blinked towards him, pausing in the entryway to the living room.

"Balthazar, it's like four o'clock. Why are you drinking coffee?" Cas asked aloud.

"It's always a good time for a cup," Balthazar said with a shrug, setting down the white mug. Cas sat down across from him, crossing his legs up on the couch. Balthazar raised an eyebrow. "Are you wanting something?"

"No, I'm just waiting for Dean and Sam to come over," he replied. Balthazar let out a light laugh.

"Ah, yes. Your little friend Dean," Balthazar said with a grin. "You talk about him a lot. Is there something I should know?"

Cas blanked, oblivious to what Balthazar was implying.

"What?" He asked. Balthazar sighed, shaking his head, and waving his hand to dismiss the question previously asked. Cas got up, hearing the bell sing loudly. Their doorbell was pretty much a large gorgeous bell that let out a deep ring. He headed to the door and Balthazar muttered under his breath to himself, "It's just through one ear and out the other with that kid."

Cas opened the door, and beamed even as the cold air smacked him in the face. Dean and Sam were standing there with red blossomy cheeks and noses.

"Hey, Cas," Dean said gruffly. Cas opened the door a little wider.

"Hello, Dean, Sam," he said, acknowledging the two. "Come in." Sam eagerly stepped in, glancing at Dean.

Cas accepted their snowy, damp coats and hung them up on the coat rack.

"Well, I'm just going to hang out with Cas, so...," Dean trailed off. Sam nodded.

"Yeah, okay. Maybe I'll just go find Gabe," Sam said, smiling slightly. Sam headed off, giving a nod of greeting to Balthazar.

Dean sighed, dropping his happy mood. Cas turned to him, concerned.

"Let's go to my room," Cas suggested.

"Okay." Dean let Cas lead him up the stairs and down the hall. Cas's room was familiar and comforting.

Dean walked in, and sprawled out on his back on Cas's bed, his green eyes distantly staring at the ceiling. Cas laid next to him, his hands folding on his stomach.

"Dean, I want you to tell me what's got on. Honestly, please," Cas said into the absolute silence of his room. Dean let out a soft sigh.

"Well, I might've just single-handedly ruined my life," he said defeatedly. "Not like it wasn't ruined already though."

Cas propped himself up onto his side to face Dean, resting on his elbow. "How did you ruin your life?" He asked, his worry and curiosity piqued. Dean's body shuddered for a moment.

"Lisa's pregnant," he announced hesitantly. His voice choked up for a moment. "She says it's mine."

Cas gasped, his electric eyes going round.

"But is it?" He demanded. "Is it yours?"

"I don't know," Dean groaned, covering his face. "I mean- I don't remember.... I don't know."

Cas titled his head. "What are you going to do about it?"

"Definitely not tell my dad," Dean said, sounding exhausted. "Ugh. I just feel like I could scream. Or cry. Or both."

Cas scrambled over to him, his blue eyes worried and wide. He stroked Dean's jaw with his soft hands, and hurriedly said, "Don't cry. It's alright. I'm always here for you, I promise."

"Cas...," Dean gazed up at him.

"Yes Dean?" Cas's face was sweet and caring. Dean froze up for a second.

"I... nothing. Never mind," Dean stuttered out. Cas smiled softly, blinking down at Dean.

"It'll be okay, Dean. You're strong. You'll pull through. And I'll always be by your side. I'm your friend," Cas reassured.

Dean stared at him, speechless. Suddenly he sat up, and pressed his lips to Cas's. He kissed Cas slowly and tenderly, his hand sliding through the back of Cas's adorably messy dark hair. Cas leaned closer to him in response, aching for Dean's touch. Dean sat up a little more, and pulled Cas onto his lap, gently resting his hand on the back of Cas's thigh. Cas cupped Dean's face, kissing him back with passion. Cas rocked his hips gently against Dean, and in reaction Dean pulled him flush against his warm body, groaning. Their kisses became heated, desperate, and needy. Dean's tongue eagerly slipped between Cas's lips, making them slick and hot. Cas made a noise of instant approval, grinding his hips lightly into Dean's pelvis. Dean moaned into their next kiss, pulling away.

He sprinkled Cas's neck with kisses, and tiny little bites. Cas liked what he was doing. He bit Cas's skin, and sucked on it, licking the spot a little with his tongue, and when he felt satisfied with it he finished by kissing the spot. Cas knew he was going to have so many marks and bruises dotting his neck soon. Cas pulled Dean's attention away from his neck by kissing him firmly again. Dean's arm snaked around his waist and powerfully Dean flipped him over. Cas's back hit the pillow, and Dean was suddenly hovering above him on all fours, trapping Cas there in a very submissive position. Dean had a soft smirk on his lips, his eyes wanting, the green color Cas loved just thin rims around the dark depth of his pupils. Dean leaned down and kissed him, and Cas easily embraced him, his arms twisting up around Dean's neck, and the other one slipping up under the back of Dean's shirt. His fingers traced along the silky skin of Dean's torso. Dean pulled away, his warm breath gusting lightly against Cas's neck. He grinned.

"Do you want that off?" He asked, glancing up at Cas. Cas nodded persistently, his hands sliding Dean's shirt up and over his head. At the first sight Cas was in awe of the expanse of muscles and perfect chiseled abs Dean had. He knew Dean was broad, but wow. He almost felt a little self conscious for a second as he shifted in the bed. But he knew Dean would still love him for the way he was. Dean captured his lips again and Cas's hands just roamed and explored, his head spinning. Dean's back muscles worked under his palms as they kissed. Cas's lips moved to Dean's jaw, nipping with his teeth lightly. He travelled down Dean's chest, kissing a sweet little trail.

Dean suddenly let out a laugh, pulling away and squirming. Cas's blue eyes lit with excitement and curiosity, and he sat up quickly.

The hot and heavy lustful mood had completely evaporated, but Cas found he didn't mind. He had a new discovery to focus on.

"Are you ticklish?" He asked, leaning forward towards Dean. Dean blushed and dropped his eyes, awkwardly covering his chest with his arms. Cas giggled. "You're ticklish, aren't you?" He laughed harder. "Somehow I could never picture that."

Dean returned the laugh. "No one can," he replied. Cas grinned widely.

"Well, now I know," he said. "I feel like it's a good piece of knowledge. It'll come in handy later."

Dean gasped, shooting him a warning look.

"Don't you dare tickle attack me!" He nearly shouted, looking panicked. Cas stared at him, and then let out a snort. He covered his mouth and his body shook with laughter.

"'Tickle attack'?!" Cas exclaimed, dissolving into a fit of giggles. Dean's cheeks reddened even more.

"Don't quote me on that," he said hastily, pulling on his shirt. "That's what my mom used to call it when I was little."

Cas grinned. A hesitant wondrous spark ignited in him, and he tilted his head. "What happened to your mom?" He asked, his voice soft. Dean's shoulders slumped.

"It was a house fire. We used to live here a long time ago, and... Well, long story short, our house caught on fire and she died. I was only four," he quickly explained.

"What started it?" Cas asked, confused. "The fire, I mean."

Dean paused, glancing away. "No one knows," he said softly. Cas noticed distant sadness on Dean's face and fear laced through his eyes. Cas hurriedly crawled over to Dean and wrapped his slim arms around Dean, slipping them under Dean's muscular ones. He buried his head into Dean's warm chest and sighed contentedly when Dean wrapped his arms back around him.

"It'll be alright," Cas whispered. Then he pulled away, vacantly staring out the window. "Dean, I also have something to tell you."

Confusion merely drifted over Dean's face. "Yeah, Cas?"

Cas looked at Dean straight in the eyes, and stated, "I am an angel of the Lord." Dean didn't look away. He just sat there for a moment, then a corner of his mouth lifted a little and he let out a sound that was almost a scoff and a laugh.

"Sure," he said sarcastically. "And I'm a vampire."

"You couldn't possibly be," Cas argued. "The lights and sun do not hurt you and you do not have bloodlust."

Dean's light attitude quickly vanished and he frowned. "You're being serious?" He asked.

"Yes," Cas pushed out impatiently. "Everyone who lives here is an angel except for Chuck and Becky."

"No way," Dean said, shaking his head. Cas nodded consistently.

"Yes, Dean. I can prove it," he boasted, getting up. "I'll show you my wings."

Dean watched him, mildly concerned of Cas's mental health. But he was taken aback when two large raven black wings suddenly spread from Cas's back. He nearly fell off the bed in surprise.

"Oh my God, Cas!" He exclaimed, staggering out of the bed and over to Cas. "Jesus fucking Christ, what the hell?!"

"You humans like to blaspheme," Cas said blatantly, staring at Dean. Dean ignored his comment, and instantly reached out to feel them. Cas pulled away, and Dean sent him a puzzled look, a small pout appearing on his lips. "S-sorry. No one's ever touched my wings except for Balthazar and Gabriel; for grooming," Cas managed to get out. "But I suppose you could... touch them."

Dean extended his arm, and gently brushed his hand along the dark feathers. They rustled under his fingers and were silky to the touch. Dean let out a soft "oh," and continued stroking the inside of Cas's left wing. Cas's eyes drifted closed and Dean began to hear a soft rumble come from Cas.

Dean sent Cas a weird look that went unnoticed.

"Are you purring?" Dean asked incredulously.

"Yes," Cas replied. "It is the angel's sign of true pleasure."

Dean just laughed. "Wow, Cas. These are just... beautiful," he said in astonishment, petting the wing. Cas smiled happily and blushed, lowering his head.

A deep, loud bell rang once off somewhere in the house.

"Oh. It's dinner time," Cas said. He felt slightly disappointed that the moment had to end. But it was dinner, and he was starving. He turned to Dean, who was shifting awkwardly. "Would you like to stay for dinner?"

Dean broke out into a grin. "Sure, Cas. Thank you," he replied.

The two headed out together after Dean pressed a kiss to Cas's upper neck, which made Cas giggle and blush like a love-crazed school girl. They entered the dining room, and Dean noticed several faces he didn't recognize. He took a seat next to Cas, a chair at the way end of the table.

Gabriel made his way in, Sam following. Sam was grinning widely, and Gabriel was laughing. Gabe languidly slumped into the seat across the table from Dean, and Sam took the seat opposite of Cas's.

Becky came in from the kitchen, carrying a steaming pot and beaming. "Oh, Sam, Dean, how nice it is of you two to join us for dinner!" She exclaimed, her entire face lit up like a child's during Christmas. She set the huge pot down, and looked at all of them gathered at the table. She gave an impatient sigh.

"Where's Michael?"

The others passed around mutual expressions of cluelessness, then Dean noticed a boy about his age with neat spiky blond hair shrug his shoulders.

"He's probably studying or doing homework still," the boy said. Gabriel let out a snort.

"Probably?" he repeated, grinning. "That's definitely what he's doing. He does it, like, all the time. Unlike his girlfriend. Who's non-existent."

Half of the table looked so offended but Dean found himself laughing really hard, and so did the blond boy. Cas had the 'are you kidding me' face on, and Sam was smiling like an idiot.

"Nice," the blond boy drawled, and Gabriel shrugged and only said, "It comes naturally."

Michael breezed in, and luckily there was no mention of the conversation held moments ago.

"Sorry. I was finishing an assignment," Michael breathed, slipping into his seat. The blond boy rolled his eyes.

"Well, how about I get supper served and then you all can introduce yourself to our guests," she said lightly. Then her eyes turned to daggers as she gazed at the blond boy, another boy Dean recognized slightly, and Gabriel. "Make sure you behave."

She was addressing the whole group, but most likely the message was aimed at those three boys. Dean instantly knew who the troublemakers were in the house, but either way, no one would think Gabriel wasn't a troublemaker.

He definitely looked like one.

Dean turned to look at Cas, and Cas gave him a worried smile. Becky started passing out finely decorated bowls of chicken noodle soup, that smelled as delicious as it looked. Dean's mouth was watering as he stared down at it. Becky took a seat, smoothing out her pink skirt.

"Alright. Introductions," she started, looking around the table. "Say your name for our guests please."

"Lucifer," the blond boy muttered, stirring his soup with his spoon.

"Michael," Michael said proudly. "Nice to meet you two." Lucifer rolled his eyes, and Gabriel sniggered.

A stern looking boy with almost silver and peppery hair cleared his throat and said, "Zachariah."

Sam watched Balthazar sit back in his chair and grin lazily. "Balthazar," he drawled, his voice lower and accented, as usual. His light gray eyes flickered to Lucifer, who grinned at him. Balthazar grinned back, lightly laughing.

"Erm, Castiel," Cas said hesitantly, glancing at Dean, and shyly ducking his head. Dean smiled and discreetly reached over, his hand finding Cas's arm. It slipped down, finding Cas's hand, and his fingers linked themselves between Cas's. Dean gave him a reassured smile.

What seemed to be the youngest boy sat at the table and lowered his eyes. "Samandriel," he said quietly.

Gabriel was next. He casually shrugged and said carelessly, "You all know me." Becky shot him a look, and he shrunk back, murmuring, "I'm Gabriel."

Sam sent Gabe a soft smile, and Gabriel's eyes sparkled. He buried his face in his too-long navy sleeves.

Wait.

Dean's eyes widened suddenly. _He was wearing Sam's favorite jacket._ When had Sam given him that?! He loved that jacket, nearly treasured it. And he gave it to Gabriel? Dean decided to ask Sam about it later.

After a few minutes of silence, and some obnoxious slurping that made Becky give angry looks to a few certain people, Michael cleared his throat.

"So, Dean, what are you planning to pursue after you graduate?" He asked. Dean swallowed a mouthful of the amazingly tasty soup.

"Well, um, maybe mechanics? Something with cars," he said after giving the subject some thought. Michael nodded knowingly.

"The automobile industry?" He questioned.

Lucifer made a weird face, his nose scrunching up. To no one in general he mouthed the words in a prissy way, even giving his head a little sassy wiggle, mocking Michael. Gabriel nearly spit his soup halfway across the table and Balthazar coughed hard suddenly.

"Erm... yeah I guess so," Dean said hesitantly, trying desperately to keep a straight face. Michael nodded again, oblivious to Lucifer's actions.

"And Sam, what do you plan to do?" Michael piped up again. Sam smoothed his hair back, and grinned.

"Law school. I want to be lawyer," he said happily.

"Good choice," Michael commented, scooping up another spoonful of soup. The table was quiet for a little while afterwards, and awkwardness just hung heavily in the air. Becky spoke up then.

"So, I heard that you two are coming over for Christmas?" Becky asked. Dean panicked a little, worried that their company over the break wouldn't be welcome.

"I really hope we're not intruding or anything," Dean said hurriedly. Becky smiled and laughed, waving her hand like it was no problem.

"No, no. It's nice to have guests over. It's also nice to see the boys have some close friends too," she explained.

Balthazar snickered. "Yeah, it's also nice to see Gabriel has a friend who doesn't get sent to the principal's office nearly every week," he drawled bluntly. Lucifer grinned at Balthazar, and Gabriel's cheeks flushed, muttering obscenities under his breath at Balthazar. Sam also blushed quite a bit as well, his face heating up.

The angered look on Gabriel's face faded and he smirked. "Well, Balthazar, at least I don't bring home a _friend_ every single weekend," he suggestively stated, crossing his arms, and raising his eyebrows accusingly. Balthazar looked extremely offended, gripping his spoon, looking like he was going to throw it at Gabriel. Lucifer's mouth had dropped open in shock.

Dean figured there was something going on that he didn't know about.

"Alright, alright!" Becky nearly shouted. "Calm down and be polite, we have guests!" The rest of dinner was absolutely silent.

*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*

Goodbyes were a little stiff and awkward. Dean wasn't so happy to go, and Sam didn't look to thrilled to be leaving either. Cas kept hugging Dean when nobody was watching or around.

Gabriel was standing by, holding Sam's jacket in his arms. Sam stood in front of him, smiling softly.

"See ya," Sam said, shoving his hands into his jeans pockets. Gabriel tilted his head and grinned cheesily.

"Later, Moose," he replied. He held out Sam's jacket. "Also, I, uh, never gave this back. It's been like, a month anyways." He stared down at it, his fingers running against the fabric, almost like he was regretting the action of giving it back. "Besides," he tried to choke out. "Your girlfriend will like it better."

Sam sighed, shaking his head, his hair flopping. "Keep it," he said firmly. "I know you want to keep it anyways."

Gabriel looked puzzled, but then a happy sparkle came into his eyes and he grinned. "Really?" He asked.

Sam nodded. "Yeah, yeah. I don't mind honestly," Sam assured.

Gabriel's whole face lit up, and Sam felt a warm feeling run through his chest. His heart almost fluttered a little too.

"Thank you," Gabriel murmured, burying his face into the jacket, so just his beautiful, wide gold eyes stared up at Sam. It was so irresistibly cute so Sam just stared.

"Uh, erm, yeah, you're welcome," he stuttered, shifting his feet. "See you tomorrow."

"Yeah," Gabriel said, beaming. Sam wanted to kiss him so badly, just wanting to take the archangel's face in his hands and kiss him until he was breathless but Sam knew that would be wrong. He had a girlfriend who he liked a lot, and this was Gabriel. They'd decided just to be friends. He pushed the thought out of his head, and headed out of the door with Dean behind him.

Gabriel and Cas watched the two boys get in the Impala from the front window.

"They're so nice aren't they," Cas breathed.

The car backed out, and Gabriel sighed.

"They are," he murmured, hugging the jacket close to his chest.

*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*

When Sam and Dean arrived at home, it was already dark out, and the streetlights were beginning to express their hazy orange-yellow glow. Dean pulled into the garage, and shut the engine off. He turned to Sam, and paused.

"So why did you give Gabriel your favorite jacket?" Dean asked suddenly.

"What? Oh." Sam's cheeks flushed a bright pink. "He liked it, so I just decided maybe he could keep it for a while, y'know?"

Dean gave Sam a suspicious look. "Okay," he said, seeming unsure. He opened the car door with a creak, and got out.

Going inside, he found the whole house was nearly pitch-black. He sighed, and flicked on the kitchen lights after nearly running into a barstool. He cursed, and noticed a folded piece of paper on the nice patterned counter. He picked it up, and unfolded it. He curiously read the paper.

 

_Dean, Sam,_

_I'll be out for quite some time. I'm heading out to South Dakota to complete a job. Do not call, I'll be fine. You can message me on occasion, but I might not be_ _there to answer. I'll be gone the rest of December, until maybe January 2nd or so. Stay safe, keep the house at least a little clean, and have a good Christmas._

_~Dad_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I realized that there's going to be more chapters then expected! This was actually an added in chapter, and so will be the next one! Expect a little bit of a longer story.  
> ANYWAYS I'M SO HAPPY. 30 KUDOS GUYS THAT MAKES ME SO HAPPY! THANK YOU GUYS SO MUCH FOR THE KUDOS AND COMMENTS AND EVERYTHING. You guys make everything better. :) thank you, thank you, thank you!


	16. Jelly of the Month Club

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dear lord it's been quite some time. I've been super busy with school- I hate it so much and I don't have any time to write and do author-y things. Plus I have like a million ideas for my next story (aka stories)... Tee hee

Sam had to admit, he loved school, but he hated finals. Finals were the worst. Getting through the two full days of all testing proved to be difficult, but the last full day of school before Christmas Break wasn't full of pencils scratching and computer mice clicks and frustrated sighs. Lawrence Day worked quite differently. The last day was just devoted to students, allowing them to hang out in their classrooms, doing basically whatever the hell they felt like doing. A.k.a just sitting around, talking and eating various sugary candies (Gabriel's favorite thing to do).

Sam was excited for first hour. First hour English had his two of his top favorite people in it. Jess, and Gabe. When he walked into the classroom, he was surprised to find Gabriel in his own desk, turned around- and Sam saw that he and Jess were actually talking to each other. It was a nice surprise, of course. But then again slightly weird. He'd always believed that Gabriel wouldn't like Jess as much as he did. He approached, and Jess was laughing and Gabriel was grinning happily. They both glanced over at Sam as he came up.

"Hi Sam," Gabe said.

"Hey...," Sam said, looking at the both of them, feeling confused. "You two actually talk to each other?"

Jess appeared quizzical. "Well, he's one of your friends isn't he? Plus he's really funny and smart."

Gabriel grinned and ducked his head appreciatively. Sam blushed. "Yeah. Right. Sorry," he apologized awkwardly.

Gabriel beamed up at him. "I was just saying how we were having you and Dean over for Christmas. I invited her over for a day or so," he explained. Sam's eyebrows raised and he glanced at Jess.

She smiled sheepishly and uneasily, tucking her hair behind her ear. "I can't," she said with a sigh. "My dad and I are going to a ski resort in Canada. I'm sorry I won't be able to make it. And I can't text you- there's no cell service there."

"That's alright," Sam assured, grinning softly, sitting down in his desk. "I'll just miss you a lot."

Gabriel looked between the two, expressionless, all emotions sunken deep in the pools of melted gold which were his eyes.

Jess smiled and blushed faintly. "I'll miss you too," she whispered.

Gabriel smirked. "I've never seen a pair of lovebirds like you two," he commented. The couple didn't seem to notice the bitter tone to his voice.

Sam looked over at him, and offered a playful annoyed look. "Well, get used to it," he replied, laughing away the tension.

Gabriel made a "pshh" noise, grinning, and shook his head, turning around. His back faced towards Sam and Jess. Sam saw Gabriel's shoulders slump, and confusion and anxiety gnawed at his stomach, but he ignored the feeling.

When Kali walked up to Gabriel's desk, Sam had a moment of panic. His eyes grew round and he gripped at the edge of his desk. For a moment he was sure Kali wanted something from him, but Kali's eyes never focused on him.

She strolled in front of Gabriel's desk, and rested her slim tan hands on it. She gave a smirk, her eyelids lowering. Gabriel was ignorant of her presence. Kali opened her red-painted lips to speak, and Sam couldn't help but listen in. "Gabriel," she purred. "Look. I forgive you for the horrible mistake you made last time. I just really hope we could maybe... get together again? Besides, Christmas is coming up and I don't want to be alone." Her silky tone didn't really cover the pleading and needy sound to her voice.

Gabriel let out a dramatic sigh, his eyes slowly raising to Kali's. They looked furious and danger flashed in them. "I didn't expect you to be the type to come crawling back, Kali," he drawled, words drenched in poison.

Kali looked astounded, floundering for a moment until she gathered herself together. "Well, we had something good, Gabriel. Don't just expect me to let that go. I just hope you don't go repeating what happened last time."

Sam really began wondering what happened 'last time.' That was nearly two months ago, and he had never found out. What had Gabriel done? He knew it probably had to do something with the bitch slap she gave him.

Gabriel glared at Kali. "Right. Last time. When you slapped me," he said icily.

Kali's nails clawed against the desk as she gripped it. "Gabriel, you know what you did was a whole shit ton worse," she hissed angrily.

Gabriel gave a laugh, which made her grit her teeth and seemed to rile her up more. "Maybe it was for the best. I'm not interested in this anymore," he said simply, waving his hand carelessly.

Sam felt satisfaction race through him. Gabriel didn't even like Kali anymore.

She straightened out, crossing her arms over her chest. "Not interested in 'this'? I-"

"Oh, wait," Gabriel interrupted, holding up a hand to silence her. "Did I say 'this'? I meant you. I'm not interested in you." He leaned forward, almost leering at her, and gave a wicked, cruel smirk.

She seemed extraordinarily pissed off, and she turned on her heel, storming off. Her neat curls bobbed wildly.

Sam had a content feeling, mostly because revenge had been served right to Kali, freezing cold. She was just a conceited bitch who only cared about the image she projected in front of other people. He almost felt a little proud of Gabriel for defending himself so strongly. But based on the argument that they had, he couldn't help but wonder what Gabriel had done, and how horrible it might've been.

*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*

Dean met up with Lisa at her locker after school. Concern was woven through his green eyes, and he eagerly helped her put her books away.

"Dean," she hissed softly so no one would hear. "I'm pregnant, not impaired."

Dean frowned. "So I'm not allowed to be nice to my girlfriend whether she's pregnant or not?" He questioned, shutting her locker for her. That gave him a dirty look from her.

"Keep your voice down," she snapped, ducking her head.

"Lisa. You're looking upset. Is something wrong?" A voice suddenly viciously simpered.Dean turned his head quickly, recognizing the voice.

"Fuck off, Alistair," he growled, his hands clenching into fists. "I don't need your mocking crap right now."

Alistair gave him a disgusting smirk, crossing his arms. "So what? I'm not allowed to be concerned?" Alistair questioned, shifting his feet.

Dean's anger flared up in his chest, a burning hot feeling. "I said. Fuck. Off," he grit out through clenched teeth, going up to Alistair. Dean shoved him back none too gently. "Leave her alone."

Alistair put his hands on Dean's chest and shoved him back harder. Dean's back hit the lockers with a clang. The air was knocked of Dean's lungs. He took a deep breath, brought his fist back and punched Alistair square in the jaw. His knuckles hurt like a bitch and stung but he ignored the feeling. People were staring and some winced. Some of those who enjoyed watching fights let out whoops. Lisa looked extremely panicked, and she was cowering against the blue lockers. Alistair straightened himself out, and Dean didn't hesitate one moment. He forced Alistair to the ground, pinning him there, and punched him repeatedly. Even when a crack of a bone shuddered beneath his hand he didn't stop. Blood streamed down Alistair's face, but Dean didn't care. Every punch relieved the anger and stress he'd been holding in.

"Hey! Hey! Dean! Stop!" There was a sudden shout. A strong figure gripped Dean's arm and pulled him off Alistair. Dean struggled in his captor's grip, lunging at Alistair again, who was laying breathless on the polished wooden floor. Dean tugged against his restraint, and looked over. Benny stood there, a confused look in his soft eyes. "What the hell are you doing, my brother?" He asked, letting go of Dean's arm. He and Benny had grown extremely close over the last few weeks, Dean definitely considered him family instantly. There was a lot of care for each other there that didn't go unnoticed.

Dean staggered away from him, feeling dizzy. His mind reeled through what had happened in those last few moments. "Shit," he murmured under his breath.

Lisa hurried up, her ponytail swinging. "Dean?! Oh my god!" She nearly shouted.

People were gaping at him and some were finishing taking videos of the fight. There was a click of heels against the floor and the hallway cleared in an instant.

Ms. Abaddon strolled up, her hips swaying. Alistair scrambled to his feet, sending an innocent look to the principal, blood slowly dripping from his nose and splattering lightly on the linoleum. "What's going on here, boys?" She asked, her voice dripping syrupy sweet. Dean glanced over at Alistair's bloodied face and regret pooled at the bottom of his stomach.

Lisa cleared her throat, stepping up. "Well, um, Alistair kept bugging us and wouldn't leave us alone," she said, looking angrily between the two boys. "So Dean pushed him and they started fighting."

Ms. Abaddon sighed, shaking her head. "Dean, come to my office," she said sternly. Alistair smirked at Dean when Ms. Abaddon turned her back. Dean felt a little worried as he followed her down to the main entry way, and into the pristine front office. When Dean walked into her personal office, she shut the door behind him with a click. She passed by him, and took a seat in a fancy leather chair. "Sit," was what she said, gesturing to a chair in front of her classy desk. He slowly sunk down into, and peered around. There were many bookshelves built around her desk, filled to the brim with thick colorful novels.

She pulled off her black framed square glasses, and set them nearly atop her desk. She folded her hands, and gave a sigh. "So, Dean. What consequences do you think you'll be looking at?" She questioned, gazing at him intensely.

Dean had always been the one to get in trouble. It angered him a lot, mostly because the trouble he caused was fights he got into that he never even started. It always ended up the same. Either he got expelled or suspended. Whichever one it was this time, John would most likely kill him for it. Dean decided to defend himself.

"Hey! He fought back too!" Dean argued, sitting forward suddenly.

Ms. Abaddon nodded primly. "I know that Dean," she said calmly.

Dean sat back, crossing his arms. "Suspension," he suggested. "You're going to suspend me."

"Mostly likely," she said with a nod.

Dean let out an agitated sigh. "Great. When do I have to serve it? In school? Out of school?" He asked impatiently. "It's Christmas Break now. What? Am I gonna have it when I get back?"

Ms. Abaddon looked like she was thinking hard for a moment, her eyes trailing away. "Well, I'm sure I could find other things for you to do," she said slowly and hesitantly, smiling at him with perfect red lips. "On another note, I know you're a very good and responsible student, Dean. I'm sure you could find something to make up for it." She gave a suggestive smirk, and leaned forward. For her exquisitely petite frame, she did have a powerful personality and aura. "Well... I've actually heard a rumor around here that you're good with cars, Dean. I do have one that needs a bit of fine-tuning but I've never been able to find a good mechanic. Could you help me, maybe?" She asked, her dark eyelashes fluttering.

Dean had to admit, he loved fixing cars. But then again Dean had two brains, one upper and one lower. And his lower brain said to go for it- mostly because she was really hot and well, he was eager. Cougars did make him a little uncomfortable a while ago, but he decided he could let this pass. "Yeah, sure, I'll fix your car," he said with a sideways grin. "When and where?" She smiled, and primly plucked a sticky note off the pack, grabbed a pen and neatly wrote down her address and the date and time.

"Tomorrow. Don't be late," she purred, and he took the sticky note. He smirked at her, and stood.

"I'll see you then," he said, and with that he left the office with no regrets.

*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*

Dean pulled up in front of Ms. Abaddon's house, yearning to go in. It was extremely nice, a modern design, with brick accents and white walls. He pulled into her drive and got out of the car, after grabbing his toolbox. Quickly he was shuddering in the cold. He shut the door firmly, drawing his leather jacket tighter around him. He approached her front door, and poked the doorbell. The golden knob twisted and the polished door swung open.

Ms. Abaddon stood there, smiling. She was in a pair of skinny jeans and a dark blue blouse and matching heels. Her vibrant cherry hair fell down in waves and framed her pretty, pale face. "Come in, Dean. It's great to see you," she welcomed, turning on her heel and walking down the front hallway.

He stepped in, shrugging off his jacket. He couldn't help but stare at her round ass in her tight fitting jeans. He hung his jacket up, readjusting his black, gray and white plaid flannel shirt. He strolled down the hall, and into an entryway she had disappeared into.

She was leaning against a patterned marble counter, sipping from a crystalline wine glass with a dark red liquid in it. Dean could only assume it was wine, of course. She set the glass down when Dean walked in. "Alright. Follow me to the garage," she said, heading through another door. Dean followed her into an extremely nice garage- it was warm inside despite the chilly atmosphere outside. Dean gazed at two impressive looking cars.

Ms. Abaddon tapped the hood of a white one on the far end of the garage. "This one wouldn't start when I put the key in the ignition," she explained.

Dean grinned. "I'll take a look."

He set his toolbox down on the concrete and popped the hood open. As he began making his rounds, Ms. Abaddon just watched him closely.

A half an hour later, he peered out from under her car, and gazed up at her. He offered a grin, and said, "Well, your battery cables need replacing, and they're also loose. That's why the car won't start, and another problem I noticed is that your muffler has holes in it, and probably needs to be replaced." She nodded, watching him slide out from the car. He stood, wiping his grimy, oily hands off on a white rag she'd given him. His muscles flexed and bulged as he gripped it. "Other than that I did some fine tuning and fixing. Once I can get you some new battery cables your car will work perfectly."

She smiled happily, striding towards him. "Great job. I'm impressed," she drawled, tilting her head to the side. "And you're graduating this year, correct?"

"Uh, yeah, I'm a senior," he said with a nod of his head.

She shoved her hands in her pockets, and blinked at him. "Are you planning to go into mechanics?" She questioned.

He glanced down at his hands, embarrassed. "Yeah, maybe," he admitted.

"That'd be a good choice. People will need your expertise. You're very good at this, Dean," she commented.

He blushed, grinning at her. "Thanks, Ms. Abaddon," he said gratefully.

She laughed, smoothing her hair back. "Call me Josie. Josie is okay," she said. She shifted her feet. "Want a drink?"

"Sure, Josie," he agreed, following her back into the house. He settled down into a chair at the sleek black dining table, and she went to the stainless steel refrigerator.

"Is a beer okay, Dean?" She called.

"Yes, thank you," he responded, taking off his shoes and socks, watching her bend down to grab a bottle from the fridge. She popped the lid off, and headed over, smoothing back her hair. He accepted the chilled beer happily, taking a sip. It was sort of a sharp, enticing vanilla flavor. He hesitated.

"Josie?" He asked.

"Yeah, Dean?"

"If you don't mind me asking... Why aren't you married?" He looked up at her.

She grinned, looking a little flustered. "I'm not sure, honestly. I've had a few boyfriends, but nothing really lasted," she clarified. "Guess I haven't really found the right person yet. But then again, I'm very young, so, I shouldn't be too expectant."

He stood, walking to her. He set his beer down on the counter, and pulled her in, tightly to his body. He kissed her firmly, his mouth moving powerfully against hers. His hand slid into her thick red hair. She smirked, her arms sliding around his neck slowly. He pulled away, and grinned. "Did you expect that?" He murmured.

She seemed breathless. "No. But I can guarantee I want more," she whispered, drawing close to him and kissing him. His hand pulled one of her thighs up around his waist, forcing her to be closer. Blood pumped through his veins, his adrenaline rushing. Her tongue begged for entrance to his mouth, and he let her in. The kisses they shared became wet, hot and wanting. He boosted her other leg around his waist, his hand securing a firm grip on her ass. She rocked her hips against him, and he turned, pressing her into a wall. He began kissing her neck, sprinkling her delicate with nips and playful bites. She ran her hands through his hair, letting out a light groan. She kicked off her heels and they clattered to the floor. He unbuttoned her dark, smooth blouse nimbly with his fingers, kissing down her chest and stomach, holding her against the wall possessively. He gave a moment and admired the lacy black bra she was wearing. She hurriedly pulled his shirt over his head, helping him shuck it off. She kissed his chest, her hot tongue maneuvering over his sensitive nipples. She sucked at them gently, nipping at them with her teeth. Rocking his noticeably hard erection into the gap between her thighs, he groaned as her hands gripped against the muscles on his back. She pulled her shirt off her shoulders, shrugging it off, and it fell loosely to the floor. Her hands traveled to her waistline as she hastily unbuttoned her jeans. He tugged them off of her, his thumbs skimming and tracing against the soft skin of her thighs, making her shiver. His hand cupped around her smooth, round ass, slipping along the black fabric of her underwear. Tilting her head up and kissing her greedily, her hands fumbled and began to unbutton his jeans. Her hand slid into the waistline of his boxers, her smooth fingers tracing down his shaft. He was so hard his hard spun, wanting just to be able to take her then and there, to hear her give moans of satisfaction.

Suddenly a phone rang. Dean froze, tensing. Josie gave a sigh, the mood evaporating completely. "Dammit," she hissed, gritting her teeth and pulling her hand out of his boxers. Then she looked apologetic. "I forgot I had a meeting today. I'm sorry, Dean." He shook his head, feeling slightly disappointed. "Perhaps we could continue this another time?" She inquired, tilting her head and offering a smile.

The feeling of his stomach turning nauseous and the building regret made him reconsider. "No. No, sorry. I've made a mistake. No," he said repeatedly, stepping away from her, and crossing the room to pick up his shirt, slipping it onto his shoulders. As he put on his shoes and made a hasty retreat, he hoped he'd never do that again.

*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*

The day of Christmas Eve couldn't've come any faster. Dean awoke to Sam nearly kicking his door open and bouncing off the walls. He groaned and turned away from the door, putting a pillow over his face.

"Get up," Sam whined childishly.

Moodily Dean launched the pillow towards the direction of the door, and gave a satisfied snort when he heard Sam sputter. He listened to Sam approach and gasped in surprise when Sam started hitting him with the pillow.

"Get up," Sam demanded again light heartedly, laughing.

"Stop, okay, fine! Truce, truce. I'll get up," Dean said quickly, sitting up and waving his hand at Sam.

"Finally."

Sam gave a dramatic sigh, grinning, and tossed the pillow effortlessly back onto Dean's bed. He then flounced from the room, heading downstairs. His phone buzzed on the polished dining room table.

**G: hey! :D excited for today???**

Sam let a delighted grin flutter onto his face as he typed a message back.

**S: Yeah, definitely! We'll be over soon actually. Dean's just being slow.**

**G: XD lol well hurry your butts up**

**S: Okay, okay, we're hurrying- I'm ready but Dean isn't.**

It took Gabe a few minutes to reply, in which Sam boredly sat down in a dining chair and waited. His phone buzzed and he checked it quickly.

**G: okay i'm just really wanting you guys to come over quick can't wait to see your faces**

**S: Erm okay, well I'll tell Dean to pick up the pace a bit. See you then?**

**G: okey dokie then see you soon :3**

Sam impatiently waited for Dean, leaning in his chair and slightly tipping it back and balancing.

He wondered what Jess was doing. She was probably enjoying her time at the resort, having fun skiing with her dad. He missed her a lot, sure, but he was definitely was eager to spend his holidays with Dean and his friends. Gabriel had been considerably kinder towards him during the past weeks. He really cared for Gabe. Gabe was... amazing. Like no one else. Sam wasn't so sure how he felt towards Gabe, but it was certainly affectionate in some degree. He always loved how Gabriel's eyes would dance and sparkle playfully, and how his charming smile or seductive smirk left Sam's heart fluttering in his chest. But this couldn't be love. It wasn't love. He liked Jess. Jess was beautiful, and smart and wonderful. Jess hadn't left him for someone else or argued with him. But then again, he couldn't compare them. They were two different people- born to make different mistakes and have different experiences. He debated with his feelings, mildly confused on how he truly felt, or if he was just lying to himself. Or maybe both?

He heard creaking footsteps down the wooden steps, and he sat up, alert. Dean came down, dressed in his usual comfortable looking black shirt and jeans, and this time, a green flannel. "Finally! Are you ready to go?!" Sam asked excitedly. Dean only gave a grunt as he turned into the living room. Flopping down onto the couch, he leaned forward and grabbed his thick, heavy duty boots from under the table. He shoved them on, and quickly laced them up.

Getting up, he glanced at Sam, then grinned widely. "Let's go," he said finally.

Sam shot up out of his seat, and nearly sprinted to the door, hastily and clumsily pulling on his jacket. Dean followed him out into the garage, approaching the Impala happily. He affectionately ran his hand over the car's hood, and opened the driver's side door with a creak. He slid in, smiling hugely as his hands wrapped around the steering wheel. Sam shut the door next him, nestled into the leather seat. He sent an excited look towards his older brother, buckling his seat belt.

A good feeling blossomed in Dean's chest as he opened the garage door, and pulled out into the beautiful winter. Snow was lazily drifting past the windows and free falling to the ground. Houses lined down the street were decorated with lights that weren't on yet, but Dean assumed once they were, they'd be dazzling. He backed out of the drive, and the engine roared as the two brothers sped off down the road.

When Dean and Sam pulled up into the mansion, they were in awe. It looked like a dream. Thick, towering evergreens accentuated the dark house, dotted with glistening white snow. Fancy garlands hung from the balconies. Dean pulled up the drive, tires crunching on the thin layer of snow. He parked the car, and stepped out, staring up at the house with new eyes, and renewed excitement. Sam burst out of the car, a crazy smile lighting his whole face.

The thick front doors flew open with and whoosh, and Gabriel and Castiel sped out. Gabriel ran straight towards Sam, wearing Sam's jacket, sleeves flapping wildly. Castiel dashed towards Dean, and hugged him tightly, his warm arms slipping around Dean's torso. Dean hugged him back, his nose buried in Cas's mop of dark hair that smelled like rich peppermint. He pulled away after a moment, staring down at the gorgeous boy. "Merry Christmas, Dean!" Cas chirped, his eyes sparkling, warm breath gusting into the air.

"Merry Christmas to you too, Cas," Dean responded softly.

He heard Sam and Gabriel laughing, and looked over. They were laying in the powdery snow, next to each other. Gabriel had some snow in his eyelashes, but his eyes danced; a golden fire burning bright within them. Sam stared at him, his own eyes distant and happy. Gabriel suddenly scrambled up, screaming and flinging snow everywhere. Sam sat up, a bizarre look on his face. "Snow went down my fucking shirt!" Gabriel shrieked, running around. Sam burst out laughing, falling back into the snow with a poof. He kept hearing Gabriel shout, "OH MY FUCKING SHIT IT'S COLD!"

A grin spread across Sam's face, and he sat up, reaching for a handful of snow. He clumped it together, his hands quickly becoming red and frozen, but he ignored the feeling. Once he was satisfied, he launched it at Gabriel, whose back was turned towards him. It hit Gabriel right on the shoulder. Gabriel froze up, and slowly turned around to face Sam, a fuming look on his face. He sprinted towards Sam, who was scurrying away in the snow and shrieking with laughter. Gabriel slammed into him, wrapping his arms around Sam, and tackling him. Sam fell onto his back, his whole body shaking with snickers.

Gabriel stared down at him, a smug smirk held on his lips. "Don't you ever dare do that again," he said in a sly, malicious voice, getting up.

Gabriel's voice made Sam's blood rush and his mouth drop open.

Gabriel gave a grin. "Let's go inside, you Moose."

Sam stared after him, sitting up. A happy feeling blossomed in his chest. He gave a sigh, his eyes never leaving Gabriel.

Following Gabe inside, he froze. There had to be at least a 12 foot tall Christmas tree standing majestically in the foyer. Dean was already inside with Cas, staring up at it too. Gold, green and red ornaments dangled delicately off of the branches, with a beautiful, thin gold star perched atop it. Expertly wrapped presents had gathered around the bottom of the tree.

Gabriel beamed. "Isn't it beautiful? I decorated it myself," he said proudly. Then he paused and shrugged." Okay, well, maybe Luci helped a little and so did Balthazar."

"Gabe, it's awesome!" Sam exclaimed, staring. He'd never seen or had a Christmas tree like this before. Gabriel smiled softly, clasping his hands in front of him and blushing.

Lucifer strolled casually over, grinning. "How's my favorite weirdo?" Lucifer asked, reaching forward and ruffling Gabriel's hair. Gabriel made a noise of protest, pulling away.

"Fine," he grumbled, offering a smile. Lucifer tilted his head, gazing at Sam.

Gabriel cleared his throat, shifting and shoving his hands in his pockets. "Well, Becky will be excited to see you," he said, nodding. "And hopefully Chuck will make an appearance."

Dean and Cas had disappeared, so Sam followed Gabriel to the kitchen. Gabriel turned to him. "Want to help me make sugar cookies? It won't be long until lunch and it's a way to pass the time," Gabriel asked. "Cas loves sugar cookies and this will be a way to make him hate me less."

"....hate you less?" Sam questioned.

"Erm, yeah," Gabriel said, opening the huge stainless steel fridge and rummaging around. "I might've put mistletoe about... Well, everywhere in his room."

"Oh," Sam could only say, then he gave a laugh. "Wait...you think Dean and Cas are together...? I thought Dean was dating some girl named Lisa."

"I dunno. I just have a feeling little Cassie has a huge crush on Dean-o," Gabriel suggested, pulling a tub of butter and a carton of eggs out of the fridge. He gave an evil grin. "Also, they're magical mistletoe. They trap two people underneath them until the two finally kiss."

Sam snickered. "You're evil," he commented.

Gabriel sent him a cheesy grin. "I know," he said sweetly, going to a cupboard and taking out salt, baking powder, sugar, flour, and a dark, small vial. Sam boosted himself up to sit on the marble island, watching Gabriel take out bowls and measuring cups and spoons. "Can you get a cup of butter? You think you can manage that?" Gabriel asked with a smirk.

Sam hopped off the counter.

"Sure," he said meekly, and began the menial task.

Gabriel put a cup of sugar in a glass bowl, and then pointed at the bowl. "In there, please," he said, closing the lid on the container of sugar. Sam put the cup of butter in, accidentally smearing a line of butter down Gabriel's arm. Sam laughed suddenly, nearly dropping the butter as Gabriel protested. He wiped it off quickly with a towel, shaking his head with a smile on his face. He got a mixer out and beat the sugar and butter with it, stirring it powerfully. "Can you crack an egg and add it?" Gabriel said a little louder over the mixer.

"Okay," Sam agreed, opening the carton and choosing one. He cracked it into a separate bowl and added it carefully around Gabriel. His chest pressed into Gabriel's side and he longed for a moment to stay there and wrap his arms around the smaller boy.

"I need two teaspoons of vanilla now," Gabriel said. Sam reached quizzically towards the vial, and Gabriel nodded. "Haven't you ever seen vanilla extract?"

"I've heard of it but we've never had it in our house I don't think," Sam said. Gabriel turned off the mixer hurriedly.

"Smell it," Gabriel said eagerly. Sam opened the bottle with a pop, and took a deep inhale. It smelled like heaven in a bottle. He let out a content sigh. Gabriel smirked widely. "Smells good, doesn't it?"

"Oh wow. Yeah! It smells great," Sam agreed enthusiastically, nodding.

Gabriel's grin grew bigger.

"Want to try some....?" He asked slyly. Sam gave him a suspicious look.

Gabriel blinked. "What?"

"Something's telling me I shouldn't drink it, and it was the look on your face ten seconds ago," Sam said.

"Damnit," Gabriel grumbled. "I thought I almost had you fooled. Yeah, you won't want to drink it. Trust me, it doesn't taste as good as it smells."

He laughed, and Sam shook his head. "No pranking people on Christmas," he said firmly, pouring and adding vanilla. Then he joked, "Santa might give you coal." Gabriel snickered, starting the mixer.

"I'm horrible enough to get coal every year." Gabriel made Sam stir then, and got the flour together, dumping it in. Then Gabriel's hand weirdly rested on his upper back for one quick second, and Sam paused, shudders racing down his body.

He gave Gabe a curious look. "What did you just do...?" Sam asked. Gabriel have him an innocent, sweet face.

"Nothing, nothing," Gabe said, shaking his head and raising his hands in surrender. But as Gabe stirred the dough, he kept letting out small sniggers.

The kitchen door opened and Balthazar strode in, yawning. He was wearing light gray t-shirt and sweat pants on his lanky figure that looked like pajamas. "Balthazar, did you just wake up?" Gabriel asked, incredulous. Balthazar grabbed a mug and poured himself a cup of coffee.

"Uh, yes, actually," he said, clearing his throat. He poured some sort of flavoring into the cup, sighing.

"Uh, but it's 11," Gabriel pointed out.

Balthazar paused.

"I know," was what he said. "Also, Sam, love, you have a large white handprint on your back."

"What the-?! Seriously, Gabriel?!" Sam exclaimed. Gabriel laughed crazily, shaking, tilting his head back.

Lucifer entered conveniently, preventing Sam's complete mauling of Gabriel. Balthazar's eyes followed him as Lucifer gave him a reproachful look. "I'm guessing you just got up," Lucifer said. Balthazar gave a curt nod.

"Yup. I did," he responded.

"Well, you look like it," Lucifer said with a snort and Balthazar shot him a look.

"Hey, hotshot, not everyone looks perfect when they wake up," Balthazar snapped back.

"I definitely do," Lucifer mocked with a smirk.

"You two bicker like an old married couple," Gabriel commented offhandedly.

"Well, if we're an old married couple as you say, I'd want a divorce," Balthazar said, with a satisfied laugh as Lucifer made a grumpy face.

"Haha, you're funny," Lucifer said moodily, leaning against the counter, watching Gabriel form little balls of dough and squash them onto a baking sheet. Sam put them into the oven as Gabriel set the time.

Lunch was a casual affair- they'd enjoyed sandwiches that Becky made that were actually exceptionally amazing. There was some chatter and quite a bit of laughter. Dean secretly held Cas's hand under the table for most of the time.

After lunch, the timer for the cookies finally rang out, and Gabriel took them out of the blistering hot oven. He set them on the stovetop, and Sam peered over. They looked so neat and delicious. The buttery and sugary smell was making his mouth water. "Wow, Gabe. Those look amazing," he said after a moment of staring.

"Thanks," Gabriel said appreciatively, tossing the oven mitts on the counter.

"So why don't you use your powers and snap your fingers to make stuff?" Sam asked curiously.

Gabriel blinked at him. "Well, I guess I like to feel like I'm living a normal human life. Y'know, I like to pretend I'm not a trillion year old angel sometimes," Gabriel explained with a shrug.

Sam grinned. "You mean archangel?" He said, correcting Gabriel.

Gabriel stared down at the floor, nodding. "Yeah. Archangel," he said softly. Then his face lit up. "What do you wanna do until tonight?"

Sam drew a blank. "What's tonight?"

Gabriel rolled his eyes with a grin. "Dinner, then a movie...?"

"Oh! Um... I don't know," he said indecisively. "What do you want to do?"

"Well, um, I was going to ask how Jess was," Gabriel stated, staring down at his hands and messing with them.

"Oh, I don't know. There's no cell phone connection where she is," Sam explained.

"Bummer," Gabriel only said, towards his hands. Sam nodded in agreement.

"So, why'd you turn down Kali on the last day?" Sam questioned. Gabriel gave him a puzzled look, then he sighed.

"Well, I don't really get the point of getting back with her. I mean, she hated you, no offense," he said quickly. Sam gave a careless shrug. "She wouldn't have let me be around you if we ever got back together."

"So... you're choosing me over being in a relationship with her?" Sam concluded. Gabriel smoothed the tawny locks that curled around the nape of his neck awkwardly, chewing at his lip.

"I guess," he said hesitantly. Sam could only say, "oh," but he felt ecstatic and exuberant inside. Appreciation and affection flourished in his heart for the golden-eyed boy.

Gabriel paused, glancing at the tray of cookies. "Want to help me decorate cookies?" He asked eagerly.

"Yeah, sure!" Sam exclaimed, watching Gabriel set the pan on a rack on the island. Sam leaned against the island, elbows resting on the cold marble, and Gabriel disappeared into a set of doors in the back corner of the kitchen. A moment Gabriel came out carrying a grocery bag. He unloaded it on the surface of the counter, putting a various selection of colored frostings out. Getting out tools to decorate, Gabriel immediately started. Sam curiously watched him, his head tilted to see correctly. After a few minutes, Gabriel had finished a cookie, one with perfectly executed light blue and dark blue swirls.

Sam burst out laughing then.

Gabriel gave him an inquisitive look. "What?!"

"I think I'll just let you decorate them. Yours will be so much better than mine," Sam said joyfully.

Gabriel pouted. "That's not the point. It's just something fun to do. It's not a contest," he pointed out, raising an eyebrow at Sam and grinning happily. His eyes sparkled brightly. Sam stared at him, entranced, and out of all the things he wanted to blurt out the top one was "you're beautiful" but he felt he should keep that comment to himself. Gabriel hesitated, but Sam didn't notice- he was busying himself with gazing down at the next cookie Gabriel was finishing up. It was a delicate swirl of orange and yellow.

Gabriel took a deep, shaky breath. "You know, those are not things you should be thinking when you have a girlfriend," he informed Sam in a unstable voice.

Sam's mouth dropped open, and he stared up at Gabriel, who was avoiding his gaze. "You were reading my mind?!" Sam exclaimed, straightening up.

Gabriel looked bothered and ashamed. "I'm sorry, I can't help it!" Gabriel said in a strained voice. "Sam-"

Sam chose that moment to rush up and take Gabriel's face in his hands, burying his long fingers into Gabriel's soft hair. Sam pressed his lips to Gabriel's firmly. Gabriel completely froze up, his eyes widening. But as Sam kissed him again, slowly and passionately, Gabriel relaxed, his eyes fluttering closed, and he melted into Sam's embrace, slipping his arms around Sam's neck. When Sam pulled away, Gabriel gave a wistful smile.

"I shouldn't've let you do that," he admitted softly.

"But you did," Sam pointed out, grinning.

"But that isn't good!" Gabriel said stressfully, smoothing his hair back. "Dammit, you have a girlfriend, Sam!" Sam was shocked when the bitter jealousy became apparent in Gabriel's voice. He sighed.

"I know... I just... I'm sorry. I didn't mean to," he apologized awkwardly.

Gabriel sighed, his arms crossed. "Whatever," he muttered, and he left the room. Sam was left standing there alone in the kitchen, with a guilty feeling weighing like a brick on his chest.

*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*

Sam was deadly silent most of dinner. As platefuls and heaping amounts of food was being passed around on colorful plates, the table wasn't filled with the typical chatter. Gabriel picked at his food, and Sam didn't even touch his.

After a while, Michael finally spoke up. "So, Dean, Sam, it's nice to have you here to visit on Christmas," he said politely, carefully slicing another piece of turkey from the dish.

"Oh, yeah. It's been a good time," Dean agreed, his eyes flickering to Cas. Cas blushed and grinned at Dean. "Thanks for inviting us over, honestly."

Becky beamed happily. "Oh, no, no, it's been a pleasure!" She exclaimed, waving her hand. Suddenly, off in the distance was the sound of the front door opening. Gabriel's eyes lit up.

"Chuck is home," Becky said, glancing towards the door. She rose from her seat. "I'll be back soon." She left, the door shutting behind her.

Lucifer let out a dramatic sigh, and slouched in his seat, folding his arms over his broad chest. "I hate Christmas," he muttered.

Balthazar gave a snort. "And why's that?" He questioned, raising an eyebrow.

"Too many people being super cheery and lovey-dovey- it's disgusting," Lucifer said, his nose scrunching up. Balthazar laughed.

"Yeah, that's only because you don't have anyone to be 'lovey-dovey' with," he pointed out smugly. Gabriel snickered.

Lucifer shot him a poisonous look. "Says the guy who brings someone home every weekend," Lucifer snarled slightly. Balthazar looked instantly angry, his hands clenching until his knuckles turned white. Then he visibly relaxed, shaking his head like it didn't matter anymore and that the conversation was pointless.

Michael gave an exhausted sigh. "I've always believed that we argue too much at this table," he concluded seriously.

Lucifer rolled his eyes. "Shut up, Michael," was what he responded with, which made Michael frown.

Michael just turned his attention away from Lucifer. "So, Gabriel. Are you finally going to take up some driving lessons soon?" He questioned. Gabriel gave a shrug, as if he was disinterested.

"I just figuring that you'll need a lot of money to purchase a car, and you haven't really made the effort to get a job," Michael said agitatedly. Dean quickly realized Michael was more of the official lead of the "family" or whatever the group called themselves. He seemed to know everything and take care of the rest.

"Y'know, Michael, I can always just _snap up_ a car or the money to pay for one," Gabriel said impatiently. Sam looked nervous instantly, and a look of fear flashed across nearly everyone's face at the table.

Zachariah finally chose to speak up, hissing out, "Gabriel!"

"Relax," Gabriel said casually, leaning back in his chair and propping his feet up on the edge of the polished table. "They both know. It's fine."

"Fine?! You might've given away our biggest secret to people you've only known for about three months!" Michael nearly shouted.

Gabriel rose from his seat, his eyes furious. "So suddenly humans have become untrustworthy, Michael? Apparently according to you, angels cannot care for any human or trust them!" He snapped. Sam smiled appreciatively up at Gabriel, whose fiery demeanor was quickly cooled. He mirrored the grin, and then his eyes turned back to Michael.

Michael shook his head. "So they know about angels... And our-"

"Wings?" Gabriel interrupted. "Yeah. They do. And so far I haven't been tracked by a hunter yet and neither has anyone else. They can be trusted."

Dean flinched at the word hunter. He didn't know that angels were tracked by hunters. He didn't even know what would happen if he would reveal that he was a hunter, or at least the son of one. Cas didn't know about that. Gabriel didn't either. Shit. They would freak. Well, maybe Cas would understand....

"Fine," Michael said stressfully.

"Good," Gabriel responded, sitting down firmly in his chair. Sam's eyes shone gratefully in the chandelier light. Gabriel stared back at him, his head tilted, with a small smile on his face.

 

The movie that night was crazy and ridiculous. Sam had never seen it before. Then again he didn't watch much TV. John always kept it to himself, but Sam didn't mind. Dean was laughing a lot and Gabriel was in tears. Even Cas couldn't take Christmas Vacation seriously. It was entertaining enough, but really the most entertaining thing for Sam to watch during the first half of the movie was Dean's arm working its way around Cas's waist, slowly and subtly pulling him towards himself. So it was true. Gabriel was right. Dean did have a thing for Cas.

He couldn't help but think to himself that maybe it wasn't just a random coincidence that both of the Winchester boys were completely smitten by the Novak boys. Maybe this was the way it was meant to be.

*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*

It was nearly 10 when the movie ended. Dean was yawning hugely, covering his mouth. Cas was curled up in Dean's side, his hand resting on Dean's chest.

Sam slowly rose from the couch he was sitting on, and noticed, grinning slyly. "I thought you and Cas were just friends," Sam accused jokingly.

Dean's face flushed. "I... uh," he stuttered. "I can explain."

Sam gave a small soft and almost knowing smile. "It's okay. I understand," he said quietly so he wouldn't wake Cas.

Cas made a small murmur in his sleep, nuzzling into Dean's embrace. Dean sighed, gazing down lovingly at the petite sleeping angel. "I better take him up to bed," he decided, drawing his arms around Cas and slowly lifting him. Sam watched Dean cradle Cas close to his chest, his arms strongly supporting the smaller boy. Dean disappeared upstairs, and Sam looked at Gabriel, who was sitting on the edge of the couch, running his fingers distractedly over the fabric.

Sam crossed through the foyer to the front door, grabbing his jacket. When he turned, Gabriel stood there, and he gasped slightly. "God, you scared me," he hissed.

Gabriel grinned, tilting his head to the side. "Jumpy much? Or is it just me?" He asked in a cocky way, like his normal self.

"Ha ha, you're so funny," Sam joked, tugging at the zipper of his jacket. Gabriel crossed his arms, leaning against the wall.

Dean approached, his tennis shoes slapping against the wood floor. The sole was just beginning to rip off of one. The boys never had been able to get a new pair of shoes in their life, let alone go shopping for any. John had never let them, usually he just brought home whatever clothes he found out working.

"Alright, ready to go Sammy?" Dean asked. Sam blushed and shifted his feet.

"Don't call me that, and erm, yeah. Uh, bye, Gabe," he said hurriedly, ducking his head. The brothers made their way to the door.

Gabriel hesitated, and gave a hasty sigh. "Hey, look. It's late, and it's Christmas. Stay the night, at least," he offered. "We have plenty of rooms to spare, and stuff to wear for pajamas too."

Both of the boys paused at the door, and turned back to Gabriel. Sam's eyebrows were raised. "Seriously?" Sam asked. "You'd do that?"

Gabriel gave a casual shrug, chewing at his lip. "Yeah. Why not? It's cold, dark, snowing, and it's nearly eleven. You shouldn't be going out," he explained, crossing his arms. Sam's face lit up like the Christmas tree.

"Thank you," he said gratefully, turning to face Gabriel with a soft, affectionate smile. Gabriel didn't seem to notice.

"Yeah, thanks, dude," Dean agreed, grinning at Gabriel, and hurrying upstairs- most likely to go be with Cas in his room.

Sam approached Gabriel, appreciative. "That was generous," Sam commented.

Gabriel gave a cheesy beam, tilting his head. "I know," he responded, turning around and crossing the foyer. Sam watched as he went up the stairs, then followed quickly, his hand sliding up the smooth wooden banister. He trailed behind Gabriel up to the fourth floor eagerly. Gabriel turned to him at his door. "Down the hall right there is a nice empty bedroom," he said, gesturing down the hall, to the left. "Give me a sec, I'll find you something to wear."

He disappeared into his room, leaving the door open. Sam approached, leaning against the cool door frame. He watched Gabriel dig through his closet, and then Gabriel tossed a wadded up shirt and shorts at him. Alarmed, he caught it, eyes widening.

Without thinking, he pulled off his shirt over his head, his fluffy hair messing up. Gabriel made a noise of protest, completely flushing and letting his mouth drop open.

"Uhm...how 'bout you do that in your room?" Gabriel asked with burning cheeks, gently pushing Sam out into the hallway.

The faint brush of Gabriel's soft fingers against his waist made shivers run up Sam's body. "Oh. Erm. Right. Sorry," he stuttered, apologizing, clutching the clothes to his chest. Gabriel gave him a small half smile that made his heart do flips. He stared for a moment, entranced, giving a small grin back. Gabriel turned away and the trance was broken and Sam was left with an empty feeling.

He went down the hallway, and cautiously opened the door to unfamiliar bedroom. It was cold and dark, and seemed unwelcoming compared to Gabriel's warm bedroom. He flicked on the light, and yawned. The wooden floorboards creaked slightly under his steps. He pulled the shirt Gabriel gave him out of the clump of clothes. Pulling it on, he discovered it to be a soft gold Kansas City Chiefs shirt, with a the typical red arrowhead and logo inside. The shorts were just black slick basketball shorts, that were a bit big, but still small enough that his hips were able to hold them up.

After he dressed, he decided to go back over to Gabriel's room. He knocked softly, knuckles rapping lightly against the wood, and Gabriel opened it. At the appearance of Sam, he offered a slight grin, and let Sam enter. The room was darker than before- only the bedside lamp was on- but the presence of comfort still remained in the room. Gabriel flopped on his bed, and Sam joined him, facedown. Gabriel let out a laugh, and Sam's returned laughter sounded like a huff into Gabriel's pillow. His chaotic brown hair slowly slid into his face.

"Well. Maybe tomorrow morning we'll open presents. You can have breakfast here. I ought to make you try my bacon pancakes. They're the best. Also we could see how many sugar cookies Cas can try to secretly devour before lunch," Gabriel said happily. "Ooh! Maybe you could stay tomorrow night too! That would be awesome. Did you like Christmas here, Sam?"

Gabriel's incessant chatter had been quite soothing, and during that time Sam had gone silent. "Sam?" Gabriel asked. Sam let out a grunt so muffled Gabriel must've interpreted it as a snore.

"Oh. He's asleep," Gabriel muttered. His voice sounded disappointed.

There was a moment of absent sound so deathly quiet that Sam wanted to raise his head, but he couldn't, because in that next moment, a very soft, cool pair lips pressed lightly to his forehead. He froze, his eyes fluttering wider. A feeling of surprise and pure happiness coursed through his veins. His eyes closed slowly, smiling to himself.

Gabriel reached over Sam, and turned off the lamp with a click.

In that moment the room was dark, but Sam's heart glowed so brightly with happiness that it could light up the world.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ...horrible smut... #sorrynotsorry


	17. Cruel Lies

Morning came quicker than Dean expected. The alarm beeped loudly and Dean's eyebrows furrowed slightly, still half-asleep, and then his eyes fluttered open. He never remembered having a beeping alarm. His always played music. Oh, yes. That was because he wasn't in his own bed. Or his own house. He was in _Cas's_ bed, in _Cas's_ house. He rolled over, staring at Cas's petite figure under the covers. The boy was still snoozing lightly, and Dean smiled softly.

  
"Cas," he whispered.

  
"Dean," Cas murmured. "It's the first day back to school. Give me a few more minutes."

  
Dean leaned over slowly and drew the covers away, the bed creaking. He took into account that Cas's light gray shirt had hiked up at his waist. His cool hand rested on Cas's warm abdomen, and he gently kisses Cas's forehead.

  
Cas's eyes fluttered open, the stunning blue color of them appearing surprised but content.

"Dean," he whispered.

  
"Good morning, beautiful." Dean smirked, his arm looping around Cas's waist and pulling him up. Dean knelt on both knees, and Cas wrapped his legs around Dean. Dean gazed up at Cas, with his messy dark hair and rumpled shirt.   
Cas gave a small purr and kissed Dean softly. Dean's arms slipped up around his lover, powerfully returning Cas's gesture. He gently pushed his hips up, and Cas made a noise of satisfaction. Strongly now Dean kissed Cas, his mouth working hotly against Cas's neck. Cas groaned, his fingers threading through Dean's hair. Dean's hands cleverly worked Cas's shirt open, exposing Cas's bare chest. Cas discarded it off, his sharp, elegant shoulders moving fluidly, tossing the shirt to the side of the bed. Dean's fingers traced down Cas's back, his lips slowly patterning fading kisses down Cas's slim chest. Keeping his arm secure around Cas's back, he laid Cas back down on the bed, resting his head back on the pillows. He pulled off his shirt hurriedly and hungrily. He leaned possessively over Cas, smirking.

  
When there was a knock on the door. Dean deflated, giving a disappointed sigh and a glare towards the door.

  
"Breakfast's ready!" Gabriel sang, his voice muffled and distant from the other side of the door. He began laughing, and the sound faded with his footsteps.

  
"Fucking c-block," Dean hissed, sitting up straight. Cas blushed.

  
"Whatever. A morning make out session still is extremely satisfying," Cas admitted with a smile.

Dean crawled out of the bed, his legs tangled in covers, almost falling out. Cas gave a joyful laugh, his beaming face showing affection towards Dean. Dean scrambled up, limbs flailing, grinning. He got out of bed, yawning and stretching.

  
"I'm getting in the shower now," Cas decided. Dean chuckled.

  
"Can I join?" He asked jokingly.

  
"Sure," Cas said offhandedly, not realizing Dean was kidding. Dean's mouth dropped open, and he let out a nervous laugh.

  
"Uh," he stuttered. "I was joking, actually."

  
Cas gave him a suggestive smirk, which sent shivers down Dean's arms. "Are you sure? Because I wasn't."

  
Dean's shirt had never hit the floor that fast before.

 

  
Sam made his way downstairs, his fingers slipping along lightly against the polished banister of the wooden stairs. His long hair was damp from the nice hot shower he had had earlier that morning. The two brothers had spent the last week or so at the Novaks' house, and Sam had never really felt so confused and happy before. It was a flustered feeling in his chest most of the time though- with Gabriel. Oh, damn. He loved everything about Gabriel. He couldn't seem to forget the kiss Gabriel had placed on his forehead- the spot almost gave a faint burn; it was permanently installed into his memory.

  
But he also knew that he was setting Gabriel up for heartbreak. Complete and utter destruction. Sam couldn't return Gabriel's affections. He had Jess. He cared for Jess. Jess was sweet and all things innocent and loving. Once it appeared to Gabriel that things were serious between Sam and Jess it would only break him. Or so Sam thought. He was sure his feelings were requited.

  
He slipped into the dining room, where Balthazar, Lucifer, Michael and Samandriel were sitting. Balthazar was salaciously licking his fingers flecked with whipped cream, and Lucifer was fixedly staring at him with a slim eyebrow raised. Gabriel bustled in from the kitchen, loudly humming some song Sam didn't recognize and plopping down into his seat at the table. His face lit up with happiness when Sam approached.

  
He beamed when Sam sat down next to him, managing to say, "Hey Moose," through a mouthful of strawberries.

  
Sam offered a grin and a light chuckle, shaking his head in a jokingly reprimanding way.

  
"Hey, Gabe," he responded, generously piling his plate with a waffle and whipped cream, and a colorful arrangement of sliced strawberries and bright blueberries. Gabriel leaned over and plucked a blueberry from his plate, and Sam playfully smacked his hand. Gabriel laughed, popping the blueberry into his mouth and biting into it with a flavorful, juicy crunch. He grinned with satisfaction as Dean and Cas entered, both looking freshly showered and clean. Cas was sporting Dean's school football sweatshirt, with the hood closely tucked around his slim neck. The two took their respective seats across from Gabriel and Sam, and also took large helpings of the savory breakfast placed in front of them.

  
Gabriel heaved out a sigh. "I don't wanna go back to school," he whined, groaning and excessively stretching in his chair. He plopped his chin into his hand, his elbow resting on the table. Hair slowly drifted into his eyes and he gave a bored look, giving a sputtering breath to blow the hair away from his face. He smoothed it back swiftly with his hands, yawning. "I just wanna go back to bed and sleep for hours." He leaned over and rested his forehead on Sam's shoulder. Sam laughed, nudging Gabriel slightly.

  
"Wake up, you big baby," he teased. "It's not that bad. After all, it's only a few more months until summer."

  
"Yeah, like 5," Gabriel complained woefully. He got up, disheartened, and said, "I'm gonna go shower now."

  
He left the table, and Sam continued happily eating.

About a half an hour later, Dean made the decision to carpool to the school in the Impala. Cas got shotgun, much to Sam's protests. As they all clambered in, Dean turned to face Gabriel.

  
"Touch or ruin anything and you die slowly by my hand," he warned. Gabriel gave a light, indifferent sniff.

  
"Dean-o, don't get your panties in a wad. It's a cool car- I wouldn't do anything to it, even if it's owned by you," he responded, tugging at the seatbelt and strapping in with a click. Dean turned bright pink, and Sam snorted loudly.

  
Dean pointed at Gabriel, and said, "You shut your pie-hole."

  
Gabriel gave him a wide "I'm-an-ass-and-I-know-it" smirk, and Cas couldn't help but laugh lightly. Then he gently placed his hand on Dean's arm, and said softly, "We should get going. We don't want to be late." Cas's touch seemed to soothe Dean, and he nodded, revving the engine.

  
They pulled out of the long gravelly drive, and zoomed off down the road, on their way to school. Sam stared out the window, gazing forlornly at the approaching school. He was not excited at all to return, but in sudden realization remembered he was going to see Jess again. He glanced over at Gabriel, who was glumly staring out of the opposite window. Sam sighed as Dean pulled the car into a parking spot. The four exited the car, walking together to the entrance. Gabriel looked troubled, drawing Sam's jacket closer around him.

  
"You alright?" Sam asked, shoving his hands into his sweatshirt pocket. Gabriel's cheeks were rosy from the persistent January wind blowing in their face, and he shivered.

  
"Yeah, I think so," he replied, managing a smile. Sam had a strong desire to pull Gabriel close to his side and keep him warm, but he knew how that would look in front of everyone else.

  
The boys entered the school, and headed their separate ways. Gabriel followed Sam, going down the hallway, skirting small clumps of students. He stopped at his locker, opening it swiftly. Sam went down the hallway further, sneaking at glance back at Gabriel. Their eyes met for one second, and Gabriel quickly looked away, ducking his head. His cheeks heated up furiously, but fortunately Sam didn't notice.

  
The bell rang loudly, echoing down the hallways. Gabriel headed to class, carrying his books by his side. Sam entered shortly behind him, and his eyes lit up when they rested upon Jess. Jess was beaming brightly and beautifully as always. Her smile was contagious, so Sam couldn't help but grin widely. He approached, setting his bag down by his chair and taking a seat. He turned around to her.

  
"Hey, how was your trip?" He asked.

  
"Spectacular," Jess answered, her white teeth sparkling. "I had a wonderful time with my dad. Skiing was pretty fun. The resort was absolutely beautiful too."

  
"Sounds awesome," Sam said, nodding.

  
"How was your Christmas?" She also questioned. Sam turned his head to look at Gabriel, who was sitting in front of him, with his head lowered. Sam felt his chest collapse a little, gazing at Gabriel's slumped shoulders. He faced Jess again, and sighed.

  
"It was fun. We ended up staying a little longer though. I enjoyed it a lot," he said honestly, smiling softly.

  
Jess studied his face, her head tilted slightly. Then she returned the smile. "That's good," was only what she said.

  
The bell rang for the beginning of class.

  
"Tell me more about your trip later, okay?" Sam said. Jess nodded, and Sam turned around to face the front.

 

Sam's classes were uneventful, most of the teachers saying that it was not the break anymore and that the students had to settle down and return to work. When the bell finally rang for lunch, he was exhausted yet happy to get time away from his classes, and eat lunch. He passed by Dean on the way to the dining hall, and Dean grinned and nodded at him. Dean continued jostling through the crowded hallway and into the cafeteria. He hurried up the stairs, his shoes squeaking lightly. He weaved his way through the polished lunch tables, making it to Crowley's table. He slid into his seat next to Lisa, who looked extremely tired.

  
"Hey, babe," he said softly so the others wouldn't hear. "How are you feeling?"

  
She sighed dramatically, glancing down at her barely showing stomach. "I'm fine. I'm only about 13 weeks. People are already starting to notice...especially my cheer coach. I get tired too quickly and she notices. I'm worried that people are going to start noticing, Dean. And they're going to know you're the father."

  
Dean lowered his head, shaking it slightly and wracking his brain. "I'm sorry, I just... I don't ever remember-"

  
"It's fine," she interrupted, a moment of panic flashing across her face. "It'll be alright, I guess."   
Dean didn't feel reassured.

 

  
Sam felt restless as he headed to his last class for the day. He just wanted school to be over, and he wanted to go home and sleep. He stepped into the over-heated classroom, and felt the wave of heat hit him directly in the face. He frowned, instantly feeling drowsy. He made his way to his seat, and groaned, rubbing his face.

  
Gabriel came in, looking small and defenseless; shrouded in Sam's jacket. His face was slightly flushed, his cheeks a tinge pinker than the rest of his face. He slumped into his own seat, staring off into space.

  
Sam cringed as the bell rang. Class time was boring as usual. The students had just started on 1984 before winter break, and were left to read a few chapters over the break. Sam could've honestly cared less about what was in Room 101 or whatever it was, but the class was going to be tested over it, so he knew that he should take it seriously. He sat at his desk in a relaxed position, his eyes sprinting over words.

  
That was until Gabriel was called up to discuss something with the teacher at the front of the room. Pale-looking Gabriel got up unsteadily from his seat, his legs unstable and shaky. Sam happened to notice in his peripheral vision, and threw his book down just in time to scramble out of his seat and catch Gabriel before he hit the floor. Gabriel's eyelashes fluttered and his golden eyes were unfocused. They closed slowly, and his head lolled to the side. Sam clutched his limp body, carefully adjusting his hold. The teacher gave a quick gasp, hurrying forward. The entire class stared, for what was going on in front of them was certainly much more interesting than 1984.

  
"Sam, can you please take him to the nurse?" The teacher asked quickly, looking fearful.

  
"Yeah, sure," Sam agreed, slowly standing up. He held Gabriel securely in his arms, his arm strongly supporting Gabriel's back. Gabriel felt like a deadweight, lying limply, bridal style, in Sam's arms, but Sam carried him out of the classroom with ease while his classmates stared in awe and some in mild confusion. He began heading down the hallway to the nurse's office, gazing down Gabriel. His face was relaxed and peaceful, quite unlike the usual moody frown or the spontaneous smirk. Passerby in the halls or at their lockers blinked at him silently, but he completely ignored them and kept walking. He entered the nurse's office, shying from the door frame so it wouldn't bump or disturb Gabriel. He approached the nurse, who was gaping at him.

  
"Hi. Um, he fainted," Sam got out.

The nurse stood up unsteadily and led him over to a small, secluded, and dark room with a cot.

  
"And you carried him all the way done here?! Well. Uh, here. Set him down," the nurse said, gesturing to the padded bed. Sam gently lowered Gabriel onto the cot, letting out a breath. The nurse turned to him. "What happened?" 

Sam fidgeted a little, shrugging.  
"Um. Well, he was sitting in his seat and the teacher called him up to the front of the room to see her. So he got up and his face got pale really quickly, so I ran up and caught him before he hit the floor," Sam explained.

  
"Alright. I'll be back in a quick second. Keep an eye on him," the nurse said, leaving the room. Sam gazed around, and then pulled up a chair to Gabriel's bedside. He sighed, staring at the boy who seemed so small. Gently he pushed Gabriel's hair back, and was absolutely silent until the nurse returned. She cleared her throat as she entered, glancing over at Sam.

"Alright. Well, you can head back to class I suppose," she said indecisively.

  
"Okay," Sam said softly, rising from his chair. He took a deep breath, smoothing out the wrinkles on his jeans with his fingers.

  
The nurse paused, crossing her arms. "Hey, aren't you Sam Winchester?" She asked, tilting her head. He looked over at her, feeling puzzled.

  
"Uh, yeah?"

  
The nurse nodded. "Oh, yeah, Jess talks about you all the time," she admitted, smiling faintly. He grinned, lightly laughing.

  
"Does she really?" He asked.

  
"Oh, yeah," the nurse said, waving her hand. "On and on, every little detail."

  
Sam ducked his head, blushing. "Wow," was what he could actually manage to say.

  
"See you around, Sam," the nurse said, her eyes following him out of the room.

  
"Yeah," he breathed, taking a last look at Gabriel. Then he left, returning to class. He took his time dallying in the halls, in no rush to get back to class. When he entered again, the teacher turned to him, a worried look etched on her face.  
"Is Gabriel alright?" She asked.

  
"Yeah. Everything's cool. I think it might've been too hot in here and he was probably just light headed," Sam replied, bending down and retrieving the book he had thrown down. The teacher nodded, and returned to her work. Sam took a glance at the clock, and saw that it was nearly three. He continued reading, but the thought of Gabriel remained in his mind. When the bell rang, he barely even noticed, staring off into the distance. When the students began leaving, he finally blinked, his hazel eyes flickering to the clock. It was already 3:20. He slowly got up, and and slipped his notebook and 1984 into his bag. He swung it onto his shoulder, and yawned, exiting the classroom swiftly. Heading down the hall, he reached his locker, and fumbled with his lock. Even for being at the school for a little more than two months Sam still had trouble with his lock. After a few attempts he managed to open it, cursing to himself. He emptied out his bag, putting his math book into his locker, and shut it with a click. He struggled to put both straps of the bag up on his shoulders for a moment, and then took into account that the halls were nearly empty. He guessed that everyone was always in a rush to get out of school. He shrugged, and strolled down the hall in the opposite direction, turning the corner. He smiled when he saw Jess at her locker, and he approached. She turned to look, and her sweet face broke out into a smile. He leaned against the cool blue lockers.

  
"Hey," he greeted, sweeping his dark hair back.

She blinked up at him, her eyes shining. "Hi. How are you?"

  
He gave a indifferent shrug. "Good. How are you?"

  
"Pretty great now that you're here," she responded with a confident grin.

  
Gabriel just happened to be walking down a hall nearby, his shoes softly squeaking against the floor. He turned the corner, and froze up when he saw Sam and Jess. He ducked around the corner, and looked around it, frowning at the two of them. But when Jess stepped up and slowly kissed Sam- that was when he felt like his chest was cut into. He turned away, his golden eyes widening.

  
"No," he whispered to himself. "Get over it Gabriel. You deserve this. But Sam deserves happiness. Don't interfere." He knew he was the one who pushed Sam away in the first place. Sam no longer had any interest in him anymore. His shoulders slumped, and he shook his head disappointedly. "Give up," he murmured. He turned, and walked off to his locker.

  
Sam slowly pulled away from Jess, but Jess went in to kiss him again. He stopped her, placing a gentle hand on her shoulder.

  
"Jess," he said with a soft voice, but with a tinge of sadness. "I can't."

  
It had just felt so...wrong. Kissing her. It didn't feel right. It felt like kissing a friend, and everyone knows that usually never feels right. He couldn't do it. It was at that moment when he just realized he didn't like her that way anymore. He felt horrible inside, but it was the honest truth.

  
"What's wrong?" She whispered, her eyes pure and concerned. She was inches away and he could smell her faint, flowery lotion. He sighed, and shook his head.

  
"I... I'm in love with someone else. I'm so sorry, Jess," he said,avoiding her confused gaze.

  
"W-who?" She inquired hesitantly, pushing her dirty blonde curls back behind her ear.

  
"An angel," Sam replied honestly, bowing his head and smiling at the thought of Gabriel. Jess sighed.

  
"I can't say I'm not surprised. I really am. But I understand. I can't make you stay with me when your heart's loyal to someone else." She tilted her head at him, and closed her locker. Then she paused for a second after turning away, and gave him a slight smile. "I'm still looking forward to being friends. Is that okay?" She asked.

Sam returned the grin and nodded.   
"Of course, Jess," he answered, feeling a little disheartened. "You really are something special. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise."

  
She smiled softly, tilting her head.  
"Bye, Sam. See you tomorrow," she told him, and she turned and walked off down the hallway, slipping her bag over her shoulder.   
Sam sighed, moping about the hall until he turned the corner. His eyes then lit up when they rested upon Gabriel, who was at his locker.

  
"Gabe!" Sam exclaimed, his face bursting into a smile as he hurried up.

  
"Hey, Sam," Gabriel responded distractedly, going through his locker. He set his backpack on the ground and knelt down, shoving his math book into it.

  
"Uh, how are you feeling?" Sam asked shyly, gazing at the other boy, who wasn't even looking at him.

  
"Good, fine," Gabriel said, waving his hand stressfully and letting the tip of his pink tongue slip through his dry lips, wetting them. Sam frowned.

  
"Hey, what's wrong?" Sam murmured, kneeling down and gently placing his hand on Gabriel's arm. Gabriel turned to look up at him with large golden eyes, his lips shining and parted slightly. Sam froze up and couldn't help but stare.

  
"Nothing," Gabriel breathed out. He stood abruptly and Sam hurriedly did so as well. "I also figured I'd might as well give you this back." He pulled the navy jacket out, and pushed it into Sam's arms. Sam looked startled, and Gabriel looked away as he murmured, "Your girlfriend might want it."

  
Sam blinked confusedly, and then had a sudden realization. "Oh. She and I aren't together anymore."  
It was now Gabriel's turn to look surprised.

  
"Seriously? When did you break up?" Gabriel asked curiously. Sam shook his head, offering a smile.

"Like, five minutes ago," he replied, shrugging. Gabriel looked confused, as well as sad.

  
"But you seemed so happy with her," he said softly, tilting his head. Sam looked away, and he took a deep shaky breath in. He glanced back at Gabriel.

  
"How can I be happy with her when I care for someone else?" Sam asked. Gabriel slowly closed his locker with a click, his eyes puzzled.

  
"Who?"

  
Sam sighed, and then said, "Turn around."

  
Gabriel gave him a weird look, but obeyed, turning his back towards Sam. Sam straightened out the jacket, and Gabriel realized with a start what Sam was doing.

Adjusting his arms, he let Sam slip the jacket on him. Sam leaned in behind him.

  
"It's you," he whispered softly, his breath gently misting Gabriel's ear. Gabriel blinked, and spun around suddenly. He jumped up, wrapping his arms around Sam's neck. Sam laughed joyfully, his arms slipping around Gabriel's back and securely holding him close. Gabriel's eyes shut slowly, and his lips spread into small smile. Sam was warm, welcoming, soft and smelled really good so Gabriel didn't want to let go. Finally after a while, he heaved a sigh and pulled away from Sam, his hands sliding down Sam's chest, and dropping to his side.

  
"I'd probably kiss you right now but I'm too afraid that people might see," Gabriel murmured, staring at the floor and looking sheepish.

  
"Well you're lucky that I don't care," Sam said, tilting Gabriel's chin up, and slowly pressing his cool lips to Gabriel's. Gabriel sighed happily, returning the action vigorously and kissing Sam deeply.   
Suddenly, someone cleared their throat. Gabriel jumped, spinning around, his eyes wide and scared. Cas stood there, his arms crossed and his lips a tight line. He gazed at the two boys. Gabriel nearly broke out in a cold sweat.

  
"Well. Glad to see you two are getting along well," Cas said finally, and a huge smile spread across his face. Sam laughed, completely deflating. Gabriel gave a deep sigh.

  
"Jesus, Cas. Don't scare me like that," he said breathlessly. "Whaddya want?"

  
"Dean's waiting for Sam, so they can go home," Cas said. "I'm going to my locker and just happened to run into you two."

  
"Oh," Gabriel said disappointedly, turning to Sam. "You have to leave."

  
Sam tilted his head. "You'll always see me tomorrow. Also don't forget that I'm just a text or call away," he added, reaching forwards and smoothing a strip of Gabriel's hair behind his ear with a gentle, loving hand.

  
Castiel cleared his throat, shifting. "Well, don't mind me. I'm going off now," he said, turning and hurrying off down the desolated hallway. His steps were soft and silent, and he turned a corner. Right ahead of him were Lisa and Alistair. Ah, yes. Two of his least favorite people. Of course he'd never admit that though. He was startled, and backed up, hiding behind the corner. Their whispers floated down the hallway, making it easy to eavesdrop.

  
"So, have you told Dean yet, beautiful?" Cas heard Alistair's eerie voice hiss.

  
"No. And I won't ever. So leave me alone, Alistair," Lisa snapped back softly.

  
"How can I leave you alone? It's mine, anyways. You should be with me. I won't ditch you like he did, I promise you that. I'd always be there for you," Alistair slyly suggested.

  
"I don't care if it's yours!" Lisa spat. "Just back off, Alistair! Dean doesn't know about this and I want to keep it that way! Dean is and will be the proper father of this baby- not you."

  
Cas's eyes widened quickly. He turned and sprinted off down the hallways, his trench coat flapping wildly and his shoes slapping rapidly against the tile. He approached Dean, who was standing in the entryway with Sam and Gabriel.

  
A worried look appeared on Dean's face when Cas ran up, his cheeks pink and slightly breathless.

  
"Cas? Cas, babe, what is it?" Dean asked, stepping forward and placing his hand on Cas's shoulder, concerned. 

  
"Dean," Cas murmured. "The baby- it isn't yours."

  
Dean looked incredibly shocked, and then his eyes narrowed.

  
"What? Then whose is it?!" He demanded.

  
Castiel looked up at him with fierce dark eyes.

"Alistair's."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Jesus. It's been a while. I've been so busy I've lost track of time. Glad to post again! I'm awfully excited to finally get my crap together and finish this story up! Also I'm super happy! On January 10th is the first year anniversary of this story... Wow.


	18. On Hold For Now

Hey guys. It's been two years since I first wrote this story. I've got to say...I completely forgot about it for a while. I mean, it was still in my subconscious but I was too lazy to continue it. It was only until recently that I remembered it. So I read through it, and I have got to say, I laughed at how absolutely shitty it was. But although it was shitty, it did have some pretty powerful lines and words in it. But to resume it now would be too strange, because I've changed my mindset about a lot of things. When I wrote this story, I was so into bottom!Castiel and top!Dean. Let me tell you...that's not at all the case anymore. I live so strongly for bottom!Dean and top!Castiel now that it hurts. It would be too hard for me to just pick up where I left off and continue from there.  


So instead...I'm thinking of rewriting it the way that I want it. I've grown up a lot more since the time I wrote this, and I think that there needs to be some changes. It is probably the most cheesy thing I have ever read. But it's got a lot of meaning to me, and it's got some meaningful words. So. I'm planning to toughen it up a bit more. I'm going to change it up.

Don't lose hope, my friends. I wasn't going to leave you forever.  
I'll keep you updated.  
Thanks a million.


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